Summer!

Summer is Coming! And with it more Time! No more homework to do or tests to study for! So I should have more time to blog- what do you want to see/ hear about? I plan to tryout some Pinterest pins so maybe reviews on how thy works? Any tutorials you want to see? Let us know!

Sarah 

Vacation!

It is school vacation week here! That normally means a week full of big ideas of what you would like to accomplish and do- and by the end of the week you have done none of them! But not this time! I am going to spend my week being productive... Or at least I am going to keep telling myself that... :)

I do know for a fact a that today I am going up to Jericho, Vermont to visit the Snowflake Bentley Museum... Fun right? :) Ok well I am a self proclaimed nerd and ever since I heard about this guy in kindergarten I have been fascinated! I loved the idea of taking picture of the snow- or maybe it was just all the snow itself! (I also cannot get enough of the snow). And when we had to choose a topic in History to write a 10 page paper on, I jumped at the chance to write about this dude. He lived a pretty cool and inspirational life. So today I am going to go up to his hometown and go to the one room museum... hopefully the grade on the paper makes the 3+ hour trip worth it.

What am I going to do for the rest of the week you ask? Well I have no idea! I might sew a maxi skirt... or I might play with my perlers (more on this unhealthy obsession later...), or I may read....

What should I be doing? I should be writing that 10 page paper or writing the lab report that will be due next week... and I probably should also work on all those Latin verbs I keep forgetting... But I seriously doubt any of these things are going to happen... well I doubt that most of the first list will get done too :)

~sarah

Book Review: Good Girls Don't Have to Dress Bad

Wow- that was one long hiatus! I cannot believe neither Sonja nor I have blogged in months! Things have been crazy, and I plan to blog more regularly now that school is winding down!

So the other day after staring at it on Amazon for almost a year, I did it... I bought Shari Braendel's book. I found it cheaper on iBooks and I convinced myself that it was ok to spend the money and strain my eyes (I was reading it on my iPhone)- I was sure that the material was worth it. And it was. I was not in LOVE with the book... but I enjoyed it.

Shari wrote this book to help other Christian Woman dress better. Now I know what you are thinking... God doesn't care what we look like on the outside- this is what I thought too. And then I read Shari's book and I have to say her argument it quite good. God wants us to to be walking billboards for HIM! So why should we only wear t-shirts and jeans? We should dress cute and love the body He gave us!

Shari saw the need in the church and began her ministry. I have learned different things about my body through this book. She teaches how to determine your body type and what colors and clothing looks good on you. This book is awesome because not only does it offer fashion advice but it does it with a Christian Twist. We need to love the body God gave us! He thinks we look good and cute and we need to think so too!

I personally loved the last chapter of the book on Modesty. I am a big advocate for helping this generation learn what is Modest and how what we dress affects our Brothers in Christ. Shari's blunt approach is just the wake-up call we all need. (If you want to read more about modesty, I recomend this AMAZING lady!)

God made you beautiful because He is beautiful! Embrace your Beauty!

~Sarah

What books have you read lately? I am always looking for suggestions!

I was not asked to write this review and did not receive this book for free. I bought this book with my own money and wrote this with my real opinions because I think this is an important message to share.

Duct Tape Flower #3 Tutorial

Here is another Duct Tape Flower Tutorial for you to enjoy! The center of this flower is exactly the same as our tutorial for A Small Duct Tape Rose, so if you know how to make that- then you will be golden when you make these!


What you Need:
Duct Tape
Wire
Wire Cutters
Scissors
Cutting Mat or Ruler

                                                                         Step 1:

Measure out a strip of Duct Tape 8 inches long 

Step 2:

Cut the tape in half so that you have 2 strips of 8 inches

Step 3: 

Cut about 1 inch by 1 inch squares from the 2 strips of tape

Step 4

Flip the a square over and fold one corner down so that you have an "L" of sticky side remaining

Step 5:

 Fold down the other corner so that you have a triangle with a base of exposed adhesive 

Step 6:

Continue doing this to all of your squares

Step 7:

Take one of your triangles and roll it so that it forms a cylinder shape. 

 

Step 8:

Begin to add the rest of the triangles onto your center. (Please excuse the awful looking nails- I almost went and repainted them just so that I could take this photo...but i didn't)

Step 9:

Add the remaining Petals/triangles on to get a small rose.

Step 10:

Set your center rose aside and cut 5 strips of tape about 7 inches long 

Step 11:

Cut 5 pieces of wire about 3 1/2 inches long and place one at the base of each strip of tape

Step 12:

Fold the tape in half over the wire- Your Edges do not need to be pretty as you will cut them next 

Step 13:

Cut a petal shape out of the duct tape leaving some adhesive at the bottom. Attach the petals to your center rose.

TADA! :) 

I hope your flowers turn out FANTASTIC! Feel free to send us photos or comments of how yours turned out! We would love to see them! 

~Sarah

Duct Tape Flower Tutorial

We received so many positive results from our last Duct Tape Flower Tutorial, that I sat down this morning and did a second one! So here you go!!!

What You Need:
Duct Tape (I used 2 colors)
Scissors
Ruler or Cutting Mat

Step 1:
Cut 10 strips of duct tape about 4 inches long









Step 2: 

Fold the duct tape in have with a small lip of sticky hanging out.

Step 3:

Cut a petal shape out of the duct tape.

Step 4:

Make a crease in the center of the petals

Step 5: 

Atatch 5 of the petals together.

Step 6:

Now cut about a 2 inch piece of tape in the color you want to be your flower's center.

Step 7: 

Cut a circle out of the tape

Step 8: 

Add the remaining petals

There you go! I hope you have a fantastic time making this and if you are so inclined- feel free to send us an email with a picture of how yours turned out! :) We would love to see it! Leave a Comment Down below and let us know what you want to see next!

~Sarah

Kiss Nail Dress Review

I recently received  Kiss Nail Dress in Babydoll to try and review from Influenster. At first glance I thought they were cute and could work. I have only used Nail Polish before and I was very intrigued by trying some of these stick and peels. When I took them out of the box, I was first overwhelmed by a Nail Polish smell- which I did not expect. I did not think that sticker nail designs would have a smell; but these do! They package comes with 28 strips, 1 nail file, and a Nail Design Booklet.

The Application Process was tedious but it was simple. It took me about a total of 30 minutes to apply the designs to my nails. The directions were clear and simple but like I said before- they are tedious to apply. The filing of them is probably what took the longest and the gems on each nail made them hard to file. Once I figured out how to do file the remaining off- it definitely went faster.

1 Hour after Application:
They nails Still smell but they are still on. The nails core colors are speckling already but are still holding strong. No major chips yet.

Next Morning:
They Lasted the Night! Wahoo! No major the chips and the smell has subsided!

2 Days Later:
They have chipped a minuscule amount and you cannot even tell that! I love looking at my nails- this is the longest my nails have stayed pretty!

5 Days Later:
OK one of my nails fell off but I am keeping the others on to see how long they will last. The minuscule chipping continues but still it is not very noticeable. Some of the jewels have fallen off but the you wouldn't know unless you touch the nail as Kiss has put Silver Sequins under each Gem so it still looks good!

7 Days Later:
Ok I finally peeled them off. I was tired of looking at the poor nail that didn't have one on it any more and the others had started to fall off. I am still very happy with the product as the packaging says it lasts up to 10 days and they made it 7! My nails don't normally allow nail polish to stick to it so I am very VERY Pleased with this product!

Overall:
I am very pleased with this product and have raved about it so much that I received another package for my Birthday! My nails are going to be styling! They chipped minimally compared to normal nail polish and I would certainly recommend these to any one who wants nice looking nails without the effort! Plus they are cheaper than going to a Salon!

~Sarah

I received this product from Influenster and this review is 100% my own opinion. I was not payed to write anything to sway you to one side or another.

Hiatus

Hello Readers!

I wanted to inform you, as it is only polite, that I have lots of posts in draft forms currently but due to the high pressure and stress that midterms bring- no new posts will be up until the weekend! I hopefully will have a new tutorial or 2 coming up by then based on the outstanding reactions I got to my last duct tape flower tutorial! So keep your eyes peeled for that!

Until this Weekend,
Sarah

Influenster!

So I just recieved my 2012 Holiday VoxBox! I am so excited! I joined Influenster about a month ago and just recieved my first samples! I did not expect to recieve them so fast- but no complaining here! :) I recieved 4 items and a Coupon Code! (You can see the video of me opening the box here!)

I recieved a package of Kiss Nail Dress in Babydoll. From first appearance- they look beautiful! I am very excited to try them out!

I recieved Quaker Real Medleys Oatmeal- Cherry Pistachio Flavored. I like oatmeal so I will taste test this- however cherries do make me sick- so I will avoid them.

I recieved NYC New York COlor Liquid Lipshine in color 582 Nude New York. I don't wear makeup so I give it to Sonja or my mom to try out.

I also recieved a Good QuilkStyle Paddle Brush. Sonja is very jealous. I think this will be very intreresting to try out.

Finally I recieved a coupon code for Sole Society. It states that I should share it with my friends- so I will share it with you all- my reader friends! INFLUENSTER25

Let me know if you are apart of Influenster and if you recieved this box as well!

Sarah

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from the Spaztastic Sisters, Sarah and Sonja!

One Small Child

Here is One Small Child on Handbells with Vocal Duet!

Sarah

Korv Recipe

It is Christmas Time and for our family- That means it is time for a Smorgasbord! We invite all of my grandmothers family over and have a traditional Swedish Christmas! Sonja and My part of this huge feast is making the Korv, or Swedish Sausages. This year, Sonja was still in school so she sadly could not participate in the whole making ordeal, but I was able to and while doing so- I took pictures!

Here is the Recipe we follow:

1 lb Pork
1 lb Beef
4 Medium Potatoes
1 Medium Onion
1/4 tsp Ginger
1/2 tsp Allspice
1/4 tsp Pepper
1/4 tsp Cloves
1 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt

This is one (if not the only time) we use the KitchenAid. We use the the Food Grinder Accessory and the Sausage Stuffer.

First, mix the two different meats the potatoes, and the onion together by grinding them together in the large blade.

Next Stir in the remain ingredients and put through the large blade once again.

Then put them through the small blade for the final grinding.

Change the KitchenAid's Attachment to the Sausage Stuffer and slide your casing on. You will need about 6 feet of casing for all your sausages- however it will not fit on all at once. We found it easier to 3-4 sections. It is also important to cut string about 4 inches long to help your sausages hold there shape. We have been doing this for 4-5 years and we still need the string.

**You may find it helpful to have 2 people doing the next few steps- we use three people but you could probably manage with 2.**

Stuff the Sausages about 1 inch thick- or so and about 2-3 inches long.

At the end- send a piece of bread through the stuffer to get the remainder of the meat out.

To Cook- Simmer GENTLY for 45 minutes.

Enjoy!



Sarah

Difference in Mediums

The way a piece of literature is presented greatly effects the way it is interpreted and the way that it received. A movie may receive higher publicity than a book, but if the book is the original way the story was meant to be shared, then it is usually the better one to look into. This is evidentiary true with the book, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

A Christmas Carol has been made into so many movies, musicals, and plays that it is hard to count them all. All of them have a slightly different approach to the story line, which affects the way it is received. For example, Disney came out with a movie version of the book in 2009 called, A Christmas Carol when that version is compared to the book there are some major differences that stand out.

In this film adaptation and most others, there is artistic freedom that is took to make this version stand out from the others. These spouts of artistic freedom vary from movie to movie, which is to be expected. In this specific version, the artistic freedom takes place in the form of the way the changed Scrooge is portrayed. As the audio stays very close to that of the books, the visual portrayal of the changed Scrooge is different. The changed Scrooge in the 2009 version is quite more animated then the way the book has him. In the movie, he slides across rooftops, dances with the housekeeper, and slides down the street holding on to the back of a carriage was all fabricated and was created to make the movie more appealing to the audience. This effects the telling of the story by giving the reader an already implied idea of what Scrooge was like as a changed man, even though the book does not specifically tell us it exactly.

The 1992 version of A Christmas Carol- The Muppet Christmas Carol, takes artistic freedom by making the movie a musical and adding a comedic twist to the original plot. These twist from the movie effect the telling of the story because they are adding into what Charles Dickens originally wrote and slowly are going away from what he intended the readers to understand.

When something is presented in a different medium then what is was intended things are perceived differently. Charles Dickens wrote the story as a book and in the book was all the content that you need to interpret the story for yourself. When a book is transformed into a movie, the interpretation is done for you and there is not much left for you to analyze and make your own realizations and theories. The movie directors and writers do that for you, which is why most people tend to like to watch a movie rather than read a book because watching a movie requires a less substantial amount of thinking and analyzing when compared to reading. When you are reading you are free to make your own ideas about a character without anyone else’s preset notions about what they think who the character is, whereas in a movie you have someone else visual portrayal in front of you and that normally clouds your own thinking because they have already done that. In both movie versions of A Christmas Carol Scrooge is shown for you, but in the book, you have no visual, physical picture of what Charles Dickens was thinking when he wrote it, rather it is up to you to picture Ebenezer Scrooge for yourself with only the facts that Mr. Dickens gives us.

The way that a story is presented truly affects the way the story is told and the way it is received. Do you agree? Leave a Comment with your thoughts

Conflicted Feelings

Do you have that one person in your life that you are not sure whether you are happy or sad to see them. Seeing them makes you happy and excited- but it also makes them sad thinking about all the memories and fun you used to have? I have been having this internal battle for a few days now. I am struggling to get over my hurt and continue the friendship. I have realized how much this person has impacted me and feel as if I should tell them but I have no clue how without making them feel bad that they left. Any suggestions?

Check it Out!

So I have imported all of my posts from my old blog onto here, so go check them out!!! :) I am so excited!!

~Sarah

Hoilday Decorating

It's December! And that means that is time for Decking the Halls and Spreading some good old Holiday Cheer! Our family started off by picking out our Christmas Tree, well I picked it out, on December 1st. Sonja was off meeting Aly Raisman... I guess I can see how that trumps Christmas Tree Decorating for some- but not for this girl! (A side note- I love Aly and the Fab Five and if I had better knees- I would have gone- I just like giving Sonja a hard time) 

We had our tree all decorated and Christmas Cookies were baked by the end of the day! I felt so productive! Then on December 8 we did the same thing at our Dad's house! It was a blast! We had a dance Party and Sing-A-Long while baking. Ryan and I sang Good Time by Carly Rae Jepsen and Owl City. It was an awesome day! 

How is your Holiday Season Going? Have you got a tree yet?

~Sarah

Freebies and Samples

I started posting pictures on Facebook of many of the items I was getting for free (like the photo below) - and that generated some questions on how I got these things. I thought I would answer these questions once with this blog post.

I began my interest in receiving free items a few years ago- but never to the extent that I am involved in it now. About two months ago I saw this post on Pinterest. I got all excited- as what teenager doesn't love coupons! I started off by sitting down one Sunday afternoon and sending emails to everyone of those companies which my family uses. Out of those 30 or so emails I got 3 coupons. Now that I think about it- that is not a great odd- however I was very excited. I began to research if there were other things I could get coupons for or even for free.

I quickly found a few websites that have become my go-to resources for learning about freebies and samples. I use Vonbeau, My Free Product Samples, Freebie Shark, and I Crave Freebies. I do not have the time or the skill to go and search the Internet to find my own freebies, so I use these as my guides. I get so excited when I find an awesome new freebie or deal! I am working on the rest of my family- they tend to just role their eyes.

After I began and started ordering samples after samples- I lost track of what I was ordering and from where. That is when Genius Me decided it would be a brilliant idea to start a spreadsheet. Now this spreadsheet stays open at the bottom of my computer screen and I love to go and look at it often! I get so excited seeing what I may get next! So far I have reached row 78 so I will have a boat load of stuff coming in soon!

I also am a member of Swagbucks, Recyclebank, and Smiley 360. I love Swagbucks and Recyclebank! I am very new to Smiley 360- so when I get more equipped with it I will let you know how it is! With Swagbucks I have earned 2 $5 Amazon Gift Cards for free! Using Recyclebank, I have earned 1 magazine subscription and am close to getting another Amazon Gift Card! :) Both are TOTALLY FREE! What is better than that?! :)

I think that is all I have to say about my freebies and samples. One Tip I leave you with is- make a separate email account so that you do not have all these emails in your personal account! I have found this an easy way to separate the things I will read first from the things that I can read later! If you have any questions, or comments, or you have personally received free items, Let me know by leaving a comment or sending us an email!

~Sarah

I Just Joined Smiley360

I Just Joined Smiley360: I just became a Smiley360 member! Discover and review exciting brands for free, too! Sign-up at http://bit.ly/lTDqVw #smileymember *Please remember the FTC requires you to mention that you received a free sample courtesy of Smiley360 when sharing.

I have no clue what this website is- however- I LOVE FREE STUFF

Tweeting!

Come and Join! #SpaztasticOlympics

Blogging

I love blogging- but you probably cannot tell because I rarely do it... Why do I rarely do it? Because using my computer is a huge hassle! As simple as that- I have so many pictures on my computer and I don't have room for more- plus using my iPhone is SO much easier! But to be frank- the blogger app STINKS! :) I can't edit where the pictures go, where the text is, the layout- and there is also this annoying little icon that covers up words... Bad layout! Any suggestions for a better app?

-Sarah

Fourth of July Tip!

So you get up early and set your blankets out in the best place possible to watch the fireworks, you come back 10 hours later and the wind has blown your blankets in a pile behind a tree. What do you do? I don't know about your town but in ours, you can't use stake or rocks to hold down your blanket to watch the fireworks.

Last year as we rushed out early in the morning to get our spot, we saw one family had a brilliant idea! Take water bottles, the ones you can recycle/throw away, and fill them with water- put food coloring in them so people don't think they are trash, and put them on the corners of the blanket- when you come back later remove them and recycle or throw them out and your blanket has stayed put! Hallelujah! No longer dodging a tree to see the spectacular fireworks!

Happy 4th!,
Sarah