How To: Make a Dreamcatcher

This is your How To guide on making your very own dreamcatcher :)

BUT FIRST - a little background on the legend of the dreamcatcher...

Dreamcatchers are one of the most fascinating traditions of Native Americans. The traditional dreamcatcher was intended to protect the sleeping individual from negative dreams, while letting positive dreams through. The positive dreams would slip through the hole in the center of the dream catcher, and glide down the feathers to the sleeping person below. The negative dreams would get caught up in the web, and expire when the first rays of the sun struck them.
I've recently jumped the bandwagon on the Native American design trend so I'm fascinated by these little  hoops.  Not to mention they'll look awesome in my dorm room!

Step One:

Take some leather and wind it around your hoop of any size.

Hint - take a clothes pin and pin the top of the hoop to secure the leather while you work all around.

  

Step Two:

Take some sinew (it's like a sticky twine) and measure out about 3 arm spans for bigger hoops and 1 to 2 1/2 for smaller hoops. Then, weave the sinew around the hoop and through itself to create a spider web effect. 

Warning - this may take a few tries...it did for me.

Step Three:

Finishing out your dreamcatcher.

Take some feathers, beads, and leftover leather to create a gateway for good dreams to come back to you :)

Tie a strand of leather to the bottom of the dreamcatcher and then take a bead and slip it up the strand.  Take some feathers and secure them into the bead.  Make any design you want and repeat however many times you want along the bottom of the catcher.

  

Presto Pesto...there you have it, a dreamcatcher :)

...Side Note

To make an inner charm like the one above: Before you tie off the sinew, take some beads and other charms to thread through in the center.  THEN tie off the sinew.  

Sweet dreams :)

Damn You, AutoCorrect!

A couple months ago, I was introduced to a super fun and entertaining site called, DamnYouAutoCorrect.
CAUTION: hilarity ensued.  

Whenever I need a mid-day pick-me-up, this is my go-to site (my, wasn't that a lot of hyphenation?)  It usually never fails to make me laugh until I cry.  

I'm talking tears...streaming down my face.
For those who have an iPhone, Blackberry, or other autocorrecting device, it's hard not to relate.

The next time you feel like you need a little laughter in your life, check out this site :)

Some Most posts on DYAC not suitable for small children.

I Love My Friends

Last night marked the last night my group of high school friends was able to hang out until we all split on our separate ways to embark on our own journeys.  My group of friends all collectively started hanging out my senior year of high school, and I'm so beyond happy that we did :)  They made my senior year and this summer so memorable and I wouldn't trade one moment for anything.  We decided to end our summers with an all-nighter complete with breadsticks, a Wal-Mart scavenger hunt, Mega Shark VS. Crocosaurus (Not worth the hype...Sharktopus was much better), flashlight tag, and shaving cream.  Only 2 out of a group of 11 made it to 5 am (with the aid of Starbucks double shots and Mountain Dew - "It's better on the Mountain") one of which was me :P 

Fun Fact 

I'm a PRO at pulling all-nighters - can't touch me.

I still have a month of summer left before I start school (yay for quarter schedules!) but once I do start I know that my friends will make coming home for breaks just that much sweeter.  

Here are some pictures from our last night together :)

Aren't we so cute!?

And so goofy ;)

"I get by with a little help from my friends."

                -John Lennon 

I Made This For You

Can we please talk about Julian Smith?

And no, I'm not talking about that saxophonist who was on that one talent show.  Julian Smith, YouTube  sensation and ultimate funny guy has been capturing attention and creating abs (from laughter of course) for years.  He first caught my attention a few years back and I've been following him ever since.  Not only is this guy hilarious, talented, and crafty - but he's also incredibly irresistible to look at.
Am I right?

I would marry him if he weren't already taken! Even as his goofy alter-ego, Jeffrey, he's still cute.  This guy just has it goin' on.

Speaking of his relationship status, let's talk about his partner in marital bliss and why we can allow ourselves a tinge of jealousy.

• She writes one killer blog, theoneinpink.com, and she's full of different interests (not to mention she's pursuing all of them!) She's one to admire AND she gets to come home to Julian every day. 

Jealousy Rating: 6 

• She was in one of Julian's videos, Confederate Candle.  Enough said.

Jealousy Rating: 8

• Did I mention she's married to Julian Smith?

Jealousy Rating: 10

I hope we all find our own Julian Smith's in this lifetime.  

But, if not this lifetime...maybe the next :)

And the Best Daughter Award Goes To...

ME! That's right :)

Why do I deserve the "Best Daughter Award" you may ask? Well, today just happens to be my mother's birthday and I jam-packed this day full of surprises.  If you are wanting to surprise someone special in your life on their birthday, or for any other reason (Surprise Saturday!) then here are some simple ways to catch your person's heart and forever have their gratitude (or at least their gratitude for that day :)

Who knows, you may even score a few 'Thank You' gifts for just being awesome (I did!)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Start the Day Right with a Healthy Breakfast. I got up EARLY (too early) to make my mother a surprise breakfast in bed.  I even went the extra mile (literally) into town to pick up the morning paper.  Jazz your tray up with cute plates, ribbons, and flowers to make it extra presentable.  Even if they'll be too tired to notice.

2.  Small Presents=Big Smiles. As they say in the Old Country, "Great Things Have Small Packages"   Oops! Just kidding. "Great Things COME IN Small Packages" ;) Big, flashy, and shiny don't always hold the sentimental or special meaning they try to give off.  Instead, go for something small but timeless - like a pair of earrings. Even Better Bonus: MAKE the gift yourself.  Mark Montano's (TLC'S While You Were Out) Big Ass Book of Crafts is chalk full of great ideas that won't break the bank.  Nothing screams "I LOVE YOU!" more than hot glue and glitter.

3. Work the Matinee Magic. Does your special someone have a movie they are dying to see?  Even if that is not the case, going to see a movie (and treating them to popcorn) is a great way to spend the day.  Other ideas that could be copy and pasted into the movie slot: a picnic in the park, putt-putt golf, shopping day, laser tag (for the bold and the brave), or scavenger hunt (takes some time to set up, but well worth the results).  We went to see The Help, which was an ah-mazing movie with the beautiful and talented Emma Stone (I'm smitten with her work). 

4. "Where Do YOU Want to Eat"?  Those six words are like music to ears on a night out.  Nothing is worse than fighting over where to grab dinner, so make it simple and let the person of honor pick where 

you'll dine.  

5. End the Day the Right Way.  If a birthday is the occasion of celebration, then end the day with something sweet...preferably with a lit candle sticking out of it.  If not a birthday, then chocolate truffles can suffice :)

These simple steps can make any [Birth]day a very happy one :)

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Tie Dye Tie Dye For

The secret's out. I. Like. Tie. Dye. 

There I said it! Sweet Relief! (Dramatic? Dramatic)

So I was researching tie dye on the in-tra-net the other day (I'm always looking for something new to dye for...hahaha good pun) and I found a site that shows the population how to make...wait for it...it's coming....here it is - Tie Dye Nails! I've tie dyed shirts, as most everyone else in the world has, as well as unmentionables and a pair of shoes.  I'm hooked on dyeing and have been wanting to try to tie dye my nails for awhile now.

Pretty!


This is how you do it.

1. Pick out three of your favorite colors, but make sure one is a light color or pastel.
2. Fill a small bowl with a shallow amount of water.
3. Paint your nails with the lighter color to act as a base.
4. Take some scotch tape and tape the areas on your fingers around the nail.
5. Take one of your favorite colors and let the brush drip a few drops into the center of the water, do the same with the other color left allowing it to drop in the middle of the other color.
6. Take a tooth pick and swirl the colors together.
7. Take your nail and dip it in the color, then pull out.
8. Viola! Tie dyed nails to satisfy any hippie at heart.

Skinny Bitch

I know we have all come across those moments in our lives when all we want to do is change something about ourselves.  Whether it be a nose, a butt, or a belly, we've all been there.  Even the girl oozing with confidence in the center of the room has her bad days.  But, why should we have bad days?  What makes us long for a body another person has when that other person longs for a body someone else has?
Why can't we accept what we have and love it for what it is.
This is something I have been struggling with for the past few months as I'm not as active as I was once upon a summer, and it's starting to show.  Suddenly everywhere I look I see dieting ads, pills, plans, '20 Ways' to get a better, slimmer, more acceptable you.  
And I say...screw it! (I know, I'm classy AND tactful :)
Who cares about fitting in with society's pressure induced impossible standards of beauty? As long as a person is healthy and living their best possible life, that should be all that matters.
Now, don't get me wrong.  I understand the layers and mind games that go along with society's ideals, and I'm not underestimating their powers one bit.  But, for just one day, wouldn't it be such
Relief                                                  Joy
Inspiration

Comfort                                                                             Encouragement

                                         Peace

                                                                                      Confidence

to look around a room and see it full of people just like you who want to be just as free? 

I think so.

So, for just one day, I say we make it happen.  In our own little ways let's set ourselves up to become all of those words above and more.

One day at a time.

ME. Not chemically enhanced, plasticized, or product ravaged.
Who are you?