How to Throw an Impromptu Party!

I found this little gem on Skinnygirl Cocktail's FB and just had to share! I mean, sure the video is shameless self promotion, but they do bring up some really great points. I've pointed out in several other blog posts that when I'm planning a party it can take me DAYS to prepare and by the day of the party I've driven myself mad with preparation. So quick tips like this (and you know I love me some quick fixes. lol) can take so much stress out of party planning, especially if you don't have a lot of time.

Easy Gardening!

(My scallions after the first few weeks!)

"The next time you have green onions, don't throw away the white ends. Simply submerge them in a glass of water and place them in a sunny window. Your onions will begin to grow almost immediately and can be harvested almost indefinitely. We just use kitchen scissors to cut what we need for meals and periodically empty out the water, rinse the roots off and give them fresh water."

(Quote from Homesteading/Survivalism on FaceBook)

Let me tell you that this has worked like a charm! I'm not the best at gardening so being able to grow my own veggies without the hassle of pots and dirt has been wonderful. Plus it adds a nice decoration to my kitchen! 

(Here are my scallions still going strong after a couple months. Sorry instagram and the lighting made them look a little funky.)

After a few months the roots got too long for the little glass I had originally put them in so I moved them to this fun tiki cup I got this summer! Now it looks like I have some sort of tiki chia pet, which is totally fine with me! His hair is super adorable and tasty! ^_~

For more plant ideas that you can regrow from mature plants and stones check out the Empress Of Dirt!

(Wowwy!)

Monster Garden!

If you'd like to try something fun and new with your garden this summer think about planting a "Monster Garden"! Now if you're like me, you're tired of always having those pesky monsters loitering in your yard at night. The Werewolves howl all night long, the Witches are always stealing your herbs, the Vampires are always trying to seduce your high school aged daughters, and don't even get me started on the ghosts! Your Monster Garden will be filled with all sorts of wonderful plants, historically proven to ward off baddies! 

To take care of your Werewolf infestation, plant some Wolfsbane. Wolfsbane is properly known as Aconitum, and thanks to Professor Snape from "Harry Potter" we know it also goes by Aconite and Monkshood. It's other names are Leopard's Bane, Women's Bane, Devil's Helmet, and Blue Rocket.

To keep away Witches you'll want to plant White Horehound and Juniper. White Horehound is known as an "anti-magical" herb and is believed to repel Witches. Juniper not only keeps Witches away but blocks their evil spells!

When it comes to Vampires you can take a couple of approaches. The most obvious would be to plant Garlic in your garden to try to keep them away. While I don't exactly know why Garlic would repel Vampires, I assume that if you had a super sense of smell, Garlic would be pretty repulsive. If the Garlic doesn't work then you can always plant some Hawthorne. While the plant itself won't repel Vampires, it is said that Hawthorne is the most effect plant to make wooden stakes out of. If I were a Vampire, I wouldn't come into a yard that had a bunch of Hawthorne around! ;)

The plants used to repel Ghosts may already be in your garden and you never knew it! Along with having great medicinal and culinary uses, Sage and Fennel have also been used for centuries to keep away Evil Spirits! In Medieval times, fennel seeds where placed inside keyholes to prevent the entry of Ghosts into your home. The burning of dried sage, known as "smudging", is still commonly used to purify a space (i.e.-Your home) and drive out any Negative Spirits that may linger there. 

Finally, circle your garden with a ring of salt to make sure no harm comes to your plants and voilà! You have your very own Monster Garden! 

The Paper Crane Quest: Follow up (Includes actual wedding photos)

If you read my other blog you know that I just got married in October. I'm crazy so I basically decided to have a DIY (do it yourself) wedding. When I first got engaged I really planned on doing all of the catering, decorations, flowers, cake, invitations, etc myself. Thank goodness I got some sense talked into me before the wedding and only ended up doing the decorations, flowers (bouquet, boutonnieres, and flowers for my Mother, his Mother, my Step-Mom, and our four Grandmothers), card box, flower girl basket, and the outfit for my Chihuahua who was the ring bearer. 

One huge endeavor that I took on was The Paper Crane Quest (Get it? Our last name is Quest! lol). Basically I decided it was a good idea to make 1,000 paper cranes. In the Japanese tradition, if you make 1,000 paper cranes your wish will come true. It all sounded very sweet and romantic and I thought, "Well, if I make all these paper cranes then I won't have to make any other decorations. Blah blah blah nonsense."

It was a crazy thought and so very untrue. But ended up actually working out in the end. :)

I didn't end up making 1,000 cranes. Once I ran out of paper the first time I just gave up.  The number of cranes I would have had to make per day to reach 1,000 by my wedding was just too much. It would be like having another job. I also made the HUGE mistake of using card stock paper instead of origami paper. I picked it out because it was black and white wedding themed paper and was in squared sheets. If you've never used card stock, it was basically like trying to fold little cranes out of cardboard. It hurt my hands, cut my fingers, and took forever to fold. I ended up folding so many I could make them while watching the TV. lol I think in the end I ended up making about 400 cranes. I never counted because that was just another chore that I didn't have time for. 
As it turns out, 400+ was more than enough to decorate with! I don't know what I would have done if I had really made 1,000. Here is some of the ways I decorated with them:

To make my wedding bouquet I placed some of the cranes on green floral wire and secured them with hot glue (the cranes will have a hole in the bottom that you can stick the wire into). Then I dispersed them amongst long stemmed silk dark purple lilies and wrapped most of the stem with a large purple and black ribbon.

As I said above, if you make your cranes right they should have a whole in the bottom. Take your crane by the wings and blow into the hole while gently pulling the wings apart. This will inflate the crane and allow it to stand upright better. Cut a small slit in the top and you can use them as place card holders like I did!

These were so great and I wish I hate better pictures of them. We made two of them, one with white flowers (for my side of the aisle) and one with dark purple flowers (for the grooms side). My wedding ended up having to be inside instead of outside so we used them instead to decorate the two candelabras on either side of the staircase I walked down. They are simply made from styrofoam craft balls, green floral wire (to secure the cranes like in my bouquet), silk flowers, cranes, and a ribbon to hang it.

They also make great hair accessories! Lookin' good Randy!

The most versatile moisturizer you own; ChapStick?

We all know the importance of moisturizing. Sun block every day, day cream, hand cream, cuticle cream, lotion, body butter, in shower moisturizer, hand/feet creams, & night cream.

It is as important to keep your skin young and plump with these little bottled miracles as it is to drink lots of delicious, nourishing water.

But the smart Domestic Goddess knows that ChapStick can be the most versatile of all!

It is no secret that we should all (and usually do) have a good ChapStick or Lip Balm handy.

I have been known to use it on my cuticles, elbows, knees, and even as a last resort eye shadow primer...

This list can also help coach you to use ChapStick when you are really in a pinch, because us Domestic goddesses know how to think on our toes and look fabulous while doing so!

Many uses for ChapStick include:

You can apply medicated Chapstick to blisters to eliminate pain and promote quicker healing. You can also use Chapstick to avoid getting blisters by applying to sensitive areas on feet or heels to prevent friction buildup.

Applying Chapstick liberally to chafed areas not only stops the friction causing the chafing, but also helps promote healing due to its medicinal ingredients.

Applying a tiny amount of Chapstick to eyebrows or to your hair will keep them in place all day long.

A quick dot of Chapstick over a mosquito or insect bite will relieve itching.

Chapstick works great for removing rings that are stuck. Simply apply Chaptick around the ring and the finger and it will slide right off. 

To prevent gardening tools or scissors from locking up or rusting, simply apply a thin layer of Chapstick. You can also prevent erosion on car battery terminals by applying some Chapstick to the terminals.

Need a quick last minute shoe polish? Apply some Chapstick – a quick buff and you are ready to go!

Chapstick is the perfect quick easy solution for nicks and cuts caused by shaving. It will stop the bleeding quickly.

Chapstick is great for helping to heal irritated skin under a sore nose caused by colds. Try applying a thin coat on sore areas a few times a day as needed.

Applying some Chapstick to a stuck or hard-to-close zipper will have it moving up and down with extreme ease.

If you trace your hair line with some ChapStick before you color your hair or rub some on your hands, the color will not stick to your skin!

And there you have it! Domestic Goddess Katie's ChapStick Survival Guide!  

 

Martha Monday!

(It may not be real but it's HILARIOUS!)