in the lime.light

Good vs. Evil... the chart

2012-02-03T14:10:00.001-06:00

Dork Tower

2012-01-31T15:26:00.002-06:00

BREAKING NEWS! The illustrator of the Munchkin games, John Kovalic, has a comic strip online!
Seems like a good way to spend some time!

If Jesus were born today....

2011-12-24T08:00:00.001-06:00

My new hobby

2011-12-11T17:45:00.000-06:00

Six cards I made for the 2011 Christmas season.

Thanks to my cousin for the card making day, use of stamps and paper! Otherwise all of my cards would have a very limited stamp selection.

Disney Alphabet

2011-10-10T10:55:00.000-05:00

I am working on a new project. I was inspired by the super hero version of this I saw. So I decided to create my own Disney version. Here are the first bit of samples!

Vintage Style Comic Posters

2011-09-13T14:01:00.000-05:00

Minimalist Superheros by Michael Myers

I may have to buy posters of these for a future rec room... or A & M's. They would like them too!

Love this "comic"

2011-09-12T11:43:00.000-05:00

Some of my closest family members are guilty of the "You should change your diet" or "Have you tried fish oil" comments. I just have to remind myself that is their way of trying to help...

2 more weeks of steroids!!!!! Almost off of these little monsters!

That's heavy!

2011-09-09T12:59:00.000-05:00

Now they just have 4 years to catch on (by 2015 hover-boards will also be popular)! Can't wait!

Nike sells Marty's shoes from 2015.

Finally, some freelance projects

2011-08-23T14:59:00.001-05:00

Alissa & Mike's wedding invites, thank you cards and program.
Not pictured: reply card... I had to mail mine in!

antique garland

2011-08-22T10:41:00.001-05:00

For an empty wall picture it on the twine with newspaper circles, mirrors and pearls and then alternate ivory ribbon with strings on a bar to cover a wall!

pearls, paper hearts, mirror, ribbon, twine

When Supers Get Old.

2011-08-19T16:14:00.004-05:00

I loved this piece by Bryan Lee.

Holy Grail of World Maps

2011-08-18T15:45:00.002-05:00

Gotta love this!

Pixar-ed Famous Cars

2011-07-12T14:42:00.000-05:00

See more here. Designed by the folks at Old Red Jalopy.

Let's Play Paperdolls... BTTF style!

2011-07-11T16:42:00.001-05:00

Derek Eads

Bloom Disney Remix

2011-07-05T15:45:00.003-05:00

Bouquet Wraps on Etsy

2011-06-13T09:58:00.001-05:00

one, two, three

Harry Potter Math

2011-06-08T15:32:00.002-05:00

http://www.geekinheels.com/2011/06/07/harry-potter-math.html

Bouquets... without the real flowers.

2011-06-03T09:56:00.001-05:00

White paper, White Poppies, Rustic Inspired, Cotton Ivory Flowers, Paper and Flower, Calla Lilies, Gold and Ivory, Guinea Feathers, Wooden Bouquet, Peacock bouquet,

Magic Kingdom Fireworks Show

2011-05-23T11:04:00.001-05:00

These photo were taken during the nighttime fireworks show at the Magic Kingdom. The lights show on the castle alone was incredible, add fireworks... and it's a really exciting event that you can see nightly if you'd like!

We visited Hollywood Studios, Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom twice and then EPCOT three times. Once just for dinner before taking a boat to Hollywood Studios to end the night.

I love two of the new rides! The Toy Story ride at Hollywood Studios was fun to play and ride and the Expedition Everest at Animal Kingdom was a thrilling roller-coaster with a story (just how Walt designed the original rides!).

Potter Comics

2011-04-28T12:18:00.001-05:00

So cute! I guess they really only make sense if you know the books/movies, but I think they are wonderful! and funny!
Buy them here.

Teach your kids the alphabet... the Star Wars way.

2011-04-19T11:34:00.002-05:00

This is just so cute, A&M would use in a kid's room!

The evolution of Batman

2011-04-13T13:38:00.002-05:00

Don't Panic!

2011-04-13T08:00:00.001-05:00

42 days until Towel Day. #towelday

Egg Dying 2011

2011-04-11T15:58:00.000-05:00

very detailed, gold foil, red designs, beet dyed, tumeric dyed, natural dyes

I'm getting inspired for dying Easter eggs! Last years were so beautiful! I do not do too much fine art lately... but I consider my Easter eggs a creative outlet. Maybe I'll even blow out a few to give to my mom to keep. (She put the last one I did in wet grass... dye bleeds, Mom!)

Last years eggs:

Geek Zodiac

2011-04-11T10:06:00.002-05:00

I'm a treasure hunter!!! Yeah, Indiana Jones!

Early Spring coffee

2011-04-07T14:06:00.001-05:00

Hot steaming Alterra coffee.

Bella Jr.

2011-04-03T18:14:00.001-05:00

Another puppy named Bella! Jessica's new puppy is eight weeks old here!

Holy Sh**!

2011-03-15T15:01:00.001-05:00

Witty cards from I'll Know When I See It on etsy!

Always keep your towel with you!

2011-03-11T14:31:00.001-06:00

Everyone has seen the Keep Calm poster by now. It has been popping up in people's homes and work places for a few years now. But because of my new appreciation for the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (I bought the audio on audible.com) I prefer this version!

don't panic & keep calm

Inspiration boards at Style Me Pretty

2011-02-10T10:31:00.002-06:00

I found a sub-site on Style Me Pretty that helps you EASILY make inspiration boards using the photos from that site and create posts about them! Super fun! Here is the page with my boards.

UPDATE: This site seemed to have suspended or archived my previous site so I do have another one... it's goofy though. Sometimes I can sign into the new one and sometimes the old. Oh well... have fun board building!

Letterpress

2011-01-28T11:53:00.000-06:00

I just love it.. so simple, yet so complex!

letterpress delicacies, Ink&iron, Tokyo Pear Letterpress, Lucky Bee Press

Here's a link on how to build your own letterpress machine... I wish I had some one with the carpentry skills to make this for me... sigh.

New kitchen projects

2010-12-28T11:08:00.001-06:00

D and I are working on converting the ironing board cabinet in his kitchen into a spice cabinet. There are lots of fun options but the #1 thing I want in it is some fun, bright beautiful paper to pop out at you when you open the door.

I have been working on the "Smudge" art as I call it. I take overly-pixelated images and use the smudge tool from Photoshop to make them look like paintings. But way less messy and easy to make!
Above are 3 that I have created. I want to frame them and place them at the top of the cabinet for a little artsy touch!

Missed my 100th post.

2010-12-21T10:06:00.000-06:00

So happy 102nd post and happy holidays.

paper ornament, green lights, green tree lights, stocking cookie

The wedding non-cake

2010-12-15T14:03:00.001-06:00

I love rice krispy treats... do I love them this much though!

Krispy Cake, Mario, Pie & Strawberries, Mac

More Legos!

2010-12-01T13:31:00.000-06:00

I haven't seen any of these in Milwaukee... yet. But they are wonderful! Legos as repair materials all around the world!

Lego Repairs. And to see how others around the world are helping out, go here! Better yet, get out those old Legos and create a Lego-fix of your own and e-mail it to the designer/creator Jan Vormann.

The short wedding dress

2010-11-30T13:02:00.000-06:00

My sister's engaged!!!!!!!!
My sister and best friend!
So in her honor, I have compiled some nontraditional wedding dresses because I am 99.5% sure they will be having a nontraditional wedding!

with guy, curly ruffles, wedding shrug, with short sleeves, large flower, flowered bottom, feathered dress,

Vintage postcard inspiration

2010-11-17T13:39:00.002-06:00

They just don't make 'em like they used to!

what say you?, schwerin, prniavor & tykal's, Boston, Chicago, Iowa, Milwaukee, New York, Eiffel tower,

I'm in love...

2010-11-12T09:54:00.000-06:00

It is no secret that I love maps and cityscapes and all that wonderful stuff...

Apartment Therapy led me to this website and the amazing work of Chauntelle Trinh & Eckard Buscher.

I love the simple complexity conveyed in each piece and each city.

Now, how to make a Milwaukee version...?

i do. in chuck taylors.

2010-11-10T10:41:00.000-06:00

Yellow & Black, Red back, purple bride, bride and groom, groomsmen, embroidered chucks, green & blue

I am all for comfort, so I am going to hop right on this band wagon! Some say this is a tacky trend, but with the right couple and the right attitude I don't think it's too hard to pull this off with some style!

Coffee Mugs

2010-10-21T11:45:00.000-05:00

I don't care what anyone says... coffee always tastes better out of a mug even that crappy free coffee at work. And not one of those travel mugs. I good old fashioned ceramic mug!

Cookie holder mug, Star Wars mug, Mustache mugs

Lots of somethings blue

2010-10-01T16:05:00.002-05:00

Painting, Shoes, Hydrangea Bouquet, Blue & White Bouquet, Bridesmaid Dress/Shoes, Short Bridesmaid Dress, Cupcakes, Belt, Clutch, Table Setting, Sweater, Invite, Groomsmen socks

Another RA Installment

2010-08-26T10:41:00.004-05:00

Sometimes my RA doesn't bother me, and sometimes it is hell... and most people do not even notice that I have those kind of days.
I found a list unlike any I have ever found about RA. And it's a good one:
Rheumatoid Arthritis Guy's 5 FAVORITE things about RA.

MY LIST:
1. My mom. Since I was 16 she's been the one calling the insurance companies, talking to doctors, taking me to the doctors and pharmacies on top of all the other single-motherly duties she has taken on.
2. My boyfriend. Now he's my support too. On my worst flare-up day, he was the one to help me get dressed and get ready for a family party and take care of me on a sleepless night.
3. Traveling. I love to travel... and because of RA I force myself to do it NOW because who knows what the future holds and if I'll be able to climb 999 steps up to a Greek castle or walk from the Duomo all the way to Palazo Pitti.
4. Education and Understanding. I know more about my own disease and I have more understanding for those who have similar experiences in life. Even when a person doesn't look sick, doesn't mean they are not hurting.
5. Sports. Just like the traveling, I play kickball and volleyball now, but for how much longer? I love "playing" outside and with friends. I am determined to find things that I can continue to do even if it means taking up yoga and swimming down the road.

Some days are great. I leap over tall buildings in a single bound.

Other days are not so great. I struggle just to get out of bed.

-RA Guy @ www.rheumatoidarthritisguy.com

Thanks for putting a positve spin on life with rheumatoid arthritis RA Guy!

A little geekery in a wedding

2010-08-18T12:47:00.001-05:00

Hey, it's OK! I think deep down we are all a little nerdier than we like to admit. But some of us are proud enough to embrace a little geekery... even on their big day! Here's some fun ideas all from Etsy.com:

My favorite are the "Game Over" T-shirts which inspired me to do this board. I think the Storm Trooper garter is going a little too far, but it would be easy to hide for most of the night if you are a closet (but huge) Star Wars fan!

Summer in Milwaukee is almost over...

2010-08-13T08:05:00.000-05:00

This busy summer continues to get busier!

JUNE

Wedding #1

Kickball End of Season Tournament (Sweet 16 for the 2nd year in a row!)

Bridal Shower #1

Hart Fest in Tosa

Summerfest

Bridal Shower #2

JULY

Lake Geneva weekend

Camping

Girls' weekend in Green Bay

Wedding #2

Bachelorette Party

AUGUST

State Fair

JLMU Beer Tasting

COMING SOON...

Kickball team party

Weddings #3 & #4

Scattered throughout the summer:

Kickball Thursdays

Brewer games

Volleyball Tuesdays Meetings

Junior League

Cribbage Wednesdays

Crazy work weekends (yes, weekends!)

Bacon is amazing...

2010-08-12T12:36:00.001-05:00

...but chocolate covered bacon is even more amazing!!!

The Machine Shed's tasty Wisconsin State Fair treat

Bella is 3 months old!

2010-07-25T14:47:00.004-05:00

Here's a pic of Bella at 12 weeks - after we tired her out of course! She's getting taller but still is a super skinny puppy. Maybe she'll be a model when she grows up... or maybe she'll end up like Teddy, the 97 pound Goldendoodle:

Bella vs. Teddy

Classic Black & White Wedding Inspiration

2010-07-19T09:48:00.004-05:00

I thought doing a black and white inspiration board would be easy! Surely, there were thousands of tasteful brides/wedding planners that have pulled off this concept! UGH! I was wrong. When doing the B&W wedding board it was so difficult to find things that didn't totally disgust me and look tacky!

Try it! Google images for Black and White Cake, Bouquet, Invite, etc. If you don't cringe at 75% of the stuff out there, maybe it is me! So here we go: I kept away from the currently very popular black and white damask pattern and found a floral one instead. I would emphasize white over-sized balloons and pearls and I loved the black and white anemones for the flowers. I just threw in the original Barbie just for kicks!

Cupcakes, Desserts, Anemones bouquet, Shoes, Pattern, Invite 1, Barbie, Rings, Balloon Wedding & Flower Girl in Pearls, Dress detail, Names, Belt, Purse, Scarf

A Gas Leak Widget

2010-07-18T14:01:00.000-05:00

Get it here: PBS.org

Buckhorn 2010

2010-07-06T13:48:00.004-05:00

It's that time of year again... Buckhorn Camping here we come.

I wonder if everyone tries to out-do the last time they camped every year?

This year's challenge:

Stuffed French Toast in a Pudgy Pie Maker

This year's new camping gadget:

Remote control lantern (Thanks Mom!)

Bread, Eggs, Pie Filling, Pudgy Pie Maker

Baby Bella

2010-06-22T10:21:00.000-05:00

My cousin's new 8 week old puppy!

Bella likes eating grass, biting everything with her sharp puppy teeth, shade and eating rocks.

Bella does not like stairs but don't worry... by tomorrow she will be bounding up and down them.

Pistachio Wedding Inspiration

2010-06-19T10:01:00.000-05:00

Green nuts turned into all things cream & sage. Pearls and bamboo add a little twist to the monochromatic theme. I'm still in love with baby's breath bouquets!

Pistachios, Cake 1, Cake 2, Rings, Raw Pistachios, Shoes, Bouquets, Bridesmaids, Isle, Baby's Breath Bouquet, Place Cards, Nougat, Brooch, Invite, Save the Date

Capri in Photos

2010-06-17T12:14:00.001-05:00

Capri's main piazza, where the funicular meets shopping gloriousness and (of course) a church. I still wish I would have bought a miniture clock of the one pictured... NEXT TIME!

Our first stop in Capri (after refreshing ourselves in the hotel lobby) - Marina Piccola. I wanted to go back here to sunbathe but we ended up on the other end of the island instead. It was secluded and peaceful. Too bad the swimsuit was still at the hotel.

A 45-minute hike lead us to Acro Naturale on the northeast part of the island. It was too massive to fit in one photo and the magnificence of this natural wonder was unreal from the cliff-sides next to it. It was too far up from sea level to have the same effect on the boat tour. Definitely worth the hike!

Happy One Year

2010-06-03T11:28:00.000-05:00

in the lime.light

has been blogging for over a year today!

My favorite shot of the trip

2010-06-01T18:16:00.001-05:00

The church in Amalfi

Capri is AMAZING!

2010-05-24T11:12:00.005-05:00

By far my favorite spot this vacation was Capri Island.

Things to see in Capri/Anacapri

-Blue Grotto of course! (Photos do not do this natural wonder justice.)

-The chairlift up to Monte Solaro and the view from Monte Solaro

-Arco Natural (way more impressive to hike to than the view from the sea)

-Boat tour around the island

-Marina Piccola

-Eat! Eat! Eat! The seafood is amazing and the meals infused with lemon are purely local!

-Shop! Shop! Shop!

-Chat it up with other travelers and locals. The people in Capri seemed so relaxed and friendly.

Playing with Inspiration ...two

2010-05-04T13:30:00.000-05:00

A poppy inspired wedding... All of these items would be too much in one setting, but I just love the accent on the teacup and poppy layered cake. I would definitely keep as much white/light blue in as possible and keep the poppies for a bright contrasted accent. For being such a bright red color, it still feels springlike and light when lots of white space is utilized.

Cupcake, Invites, Invites 2, Cake 1, Invites 3, Stamp, Cake 2, Red Dress, Poppy Dress, Blue Belt, Bobby Pins, Purse, Tea Cup, Tablecloth, and Bouquet

Touring Milwaukee

2010-04-26T21:27:00.009-05:00

I highly recommend playing "tourist" for a day in your own city! Two Saturdays ago I did just that.
The day began with a tour of Milwaukee organized by the Junior League of Milwaukee with John Gurda. 90% of his facts about Milwaukee were new to me. I just wish we got to get off the bus to take photos more than twice!
Here are some photos from Lake Park and St. Josaphat's Basilica:

Next we ate lunch at the Milwaukee Ale House and after a taste of their brews we couldn't think of a better next stop than the Miller Brewery tour.

My Inspiration

2010-04-21T12:00:00.002-05:00

Getting inspired is something a lot people take for granted. I have never been one to be able to answer the question "what am I passionate about?" easily. What if I could be reminded daily of the things that I know I love... even the little things? I made a board to help me... I recommend that everyone does this! Hang it up so you can see it everyday. At the very least, it will make you smile every time you see it! (or make me hungry and make me want to plan my next trip!)

Florence, Cinque Terre, Fog, Lily of the Valleys, Jackson Pollack, Polka Dots, Basil, Da Vinci, Rick Steves, Lilacs, Brewers, Baking, Maps, Chocolate and Stripes.

10 Things I would do if I didn't have RA

2010-04-19T11:27:00.002-05:00

Instead of replying to this RA Warrior post, I thought I'd come up with my own list!

Sharing it here might provide a hint of realism to those who do not comprehend what we lose when living with rheumatoid arthritis.

I feel like a lot of people who read RA Warrior have RA worse than me... so my silly list would be things that are probably much farther down on their lists!

I would...

10. Wear rings

9. Wear earrings

8. Have more more "fun" money

7. Go for a run

6. Wear high heels without hesitation

5. Be at work before 8 every morning

4. Take heavy dishes out of the oven (or off the stove) without hesitation

3. Go on trips longer than 10 days

2. Do cartwheels

1. Take life for granted*

*I borrowed this last one from "ness" on the blog because I loved it so much!

UPDATE: I just did a few cartwheels at a family party with my niece in October... I had to make sure I could.. so the first few were pretty pathetic, but I still got it. Kind of.

Playing with inspiration ...one...

2010-04-09T11:42:00.006-05:00

The idea was to come up with something totally unromantic and then make a wedding inspiration board from it. I think it turned out alright for a 20 minute search! Who knew roosters would make good inspiration for a wedding? I really like the idea of red and black feathers with red and white poppies.

Rooster, Barn, Eggs, Speckled Eggs, Feather Bouquet & Headband, White Poppy, Red Poppy, Rooster Feathers, Invites and Poppy Field

Ooo Pretty!

2010-04-03T15:17:00.004-05:00

My food-colored Easter eggs! These are the only twelve I did. Yes, I did make a new color for every egg!

Colors (with 1/2 cup boiling water and one teaspoon of vinegar):
-20 drops of red (pink)
-16 yellow, 4 red (coral)
-18 yellow, 3 red (dark orange)
-19 yellow, 1 red (light orange)
-20 drops of yellow (yellow)
-18 yellow, 3 green (lime green)
-14 green, 6 yellow (green)
-15 green, 5 blue (teal)
-20 drops of blue (blue)
-18 blue, 2 red (dark purple)
-15 blue, 5 red (purple)
-14 red, 6 blue (raspberry)

Puppies

2010-03-31T15:07:00.003-05:00

Just found the greatest animal photographer! Isn't that pup adorable?!?! Check out more at www.sharonmontrose.com and check out Sharon's Etsy store to purchase pic of a basset hound puppy (or other things)! Who doesn't love baby animals?!

Wisconsin Food Pyramid

2010-03-24T10:30:00.001-05:00

Just in time for baseball season...

(Opening Day is in 12 days!)

Tripping

2010-03-24T09:07:00.002-05:00

Planning a trip becomes like a second job to me. Usually I am the head of planning so I am answering e-mails, booking museum times and constantly trying to get our seat assignments for our flight (any day now!). The itinerary is full and getting fuller! The excitement is rising! I love traveling!

Some things I was excited to find about the places we will be going:

-Carravaggio exhibit in Rome is going on until June! The best part is that it is open late at night so we can swing by after dinner!

-Civita di Bagnoreggio is going to be difficult to get to, but I believe so worth it! As long as we get to Orvieto by 8 a.m. Even if we miss the early bus to Bagnoreggio, there is a street market in Orvieto!

-There are free tours of Rome at 5:30 p.m. near the Spanish Steps. The guides work for tips, so they better be good! (I had good luck with the free bike tour of Munich... well it used to be free, so I am crossing my fingers!)

-We will be celebrating the Feast of Saint Costanzo, the Patron Saint of the island of Capri!

It's called actively blogging

2010-03-16T13:42:00.003-05:00

No, it's not wasting time... it's actively blogging!

Here is where I have decided to spend some of my time and leave some comments lately:

THE B SIDE

MUSIC REVIEWS, DISCUSSIONS AND GENERAL BANTER. SHARE YOUR FAVORITE MUSIC AND LEARN ABOUT NEW STUFF.

Although I'm unsure of who the author is... I have a pretty good idea. He reviews all kinds of music in hopes to encourage readers to branch out from radio hits and listen to better music. Even though he dislikes pop and country, I still like reading the reviews. I usually look up (on grooveshark.com) an album a day and take a listen.

Milwaukee Brunch Reviews

Weekend mornings in Milwaukee mean one thing—brunch. But not all brunch spots are created equal. Read these rapid reviews of some of Milwaukee's neighborhood restaurants and their brunch offerings. I share my insight on what I thought about the service, atmosphere, food, drink and price.

I know the author of this one! I have even been invited to brunch! Chris posts a review on Mondays about his latest brunch adventure and occasionally posts questions related to brunch (on the blog, Twitter and Facebook) just to get some more active reader responses. This is a brand new blog, but he has really made connections in Milwaukee fast!

My Step-Mom is FAMOUS!

2010-03-12T15:04:00.007-06:00

David Nail's Turning Home video was filmed at The Intersection in Grand Rapids, Michigan. My Step-Mom loves The Intersection and country music! Here she is!

She is at 2:19 getting her shirt signed and then at 2:23!

How awesome is that?!

Dave & Buster's

2010-03-12T09:22:00.004-06:00

Since I'm in the mood for some "review" blogging... Here goes:

Last night I met friends at Dave & Buster's (the new one on Mayfair Road). The first thing we noticed was how unorganized the entryway was. There is is a welcome desk right in the front, but apparently that is not where you meet a host for a table. Once we found the separate area (with a cluttered hosts' desk) we waited patiently for them to get organized and find us a table for 6 as a line grew behind us. (My suggestion: ask us to wait and they could get us as soon as they clean off a table while they continue to sit the smaller groups behind us.) It was so awkward that even the hostess taking names and the woman seating guests began to argue a little - in front of customers.

We were seated at a table that was in between the bar and "dining area" and as it got busier people began to wait in the area near our table. That didn't bother us, it was noisy no matter where you sat - what bothered us was that our waitress seemed to forget about us... a lot!

I ordered a rum & coke that came extremely pale and 30 minutes later! We had to ask for straws (that took about 10 minutes). I never did get my water that I originally asked for with my drink until I asked for another one. I was afraid to order another drink because how long the last one took. Once our whole party was there, we ordered within 15 minutes. It took over an hour for our burgers, philly cheesesteaks and pork sandwiches. Food that normally takes 20 minutes took almost an hour to get to our table! My fries were hot, everyone else's were cold. My sandwiches were cold, everyone else's were hot but we were too hungry to care. The food was decent but not especially exciting. I actually liked the fries' peppery seasoning but they were WAY over salted!

We knew we better ask for the bill as soon as we were done because of long it took everything else to get to our table. When we got that (surprise!) there was a drink on it that was not ours that we had to have removed and she informed us she comped ONE SODA for the long wait. Wow! We got $2 back in exchange for terrible service. She did not comp the $2.75 rum & coke (happy hour price) or the $6 fancy drink. ***We decided not to tip on the total because we added a game card with one of the meals (Eat and Play Combo was $23.99 for a meal and $20 game card) to save some money. We thought this was fair. You should not have to tip on things other than food and drink.

Now that that experience was over, it was time to have some fun and play some skee-ball! NOT! I am the first one to swipe the card for a game... the balls never come down, neither does another girl's. We get some help and he attempts to fix the game, gets balls to come down, releases the ball that are trapped from all of the other games, swipes his own card and says alright, you should be good... STILL no balls on my game... I give up!

We move on to basketball. Tracy and I want to compete. We both swipe the card... my game goes, hers... RESETS! My game decides to QUIT half way through! The good thing was that when the game restarted we got 6 games on it, so it evened out a little bit.

The oddest part about Dave & Buster's was the clientele. There were women sitting alone in front of games with PILES if tickets. It was just bizarre. We came to D&B's to play some games with friends, they are there to win tickets to redeem for really awful prizes! All of our reactions were "why aren't they at the casino?"

For a night at D&B's I recommend coming early, getting a drink (maybe an appetizer), playing a couple games, handing your tickets off to the cutest kid you can find and then going somewhere else for food and regular darts and video Bowling/Bags/Darts.

Service: TERRIBLE I felt like they hired the most inexperienced people they could find who know nothing about customer service - or video games.

Food: OK Not worth getting excited about but the combos with the game card make it worth it. Sandwiches were $8-$12 and meals were $10-$17.

Atmosphere: ODD It felt like a casino. Some people are there to just have fun and play games while drinking a beer with their friends, some people are there to prove their worth by winning as many tickets as they can. It was cool at Chuck E. Cheese's when you were 5 so it must still be cool when you are 35 and alone at a bar, right?

Self-Checkout Etiquette

2010-03-10T12:38:00.002-06:00

Since there are still people who need a little guidance when it comes to the self-checkout line at the grocery store, I figured I would try to help... for the greater good of the rest of us!

GUIDELINES:

1. If you have more than 2 baskets worth of stuff, the self-checkout is NOT for you. Please use the regular cashiers... even with a line it will be faster. I promise!

2. (This one may seem obvious to most... but apparently it is not!) After scanning each item put it in the baggage area, it has to weigh it before you move on to the next item.

3. If you have your own bag (good for you!), put that on the scale/bag area before beginning to check out. Then, patiently wait for the machine to tell you there is an unexpected item in baggage area. All you have to do is touch the Bag/Box button and then continue as normally. (It has to recalculate the weight).

4. If you are buying a lot of produce, utilize the scales and little UPC printers in the produce section (in Italy, you were required to weigh and print a UPC for yourself, otherwise you got a nasty look from the cashier). Using the printers speeds up the checkout process because you don't have to look up everything. Also, use the 4-digit codes on produce as well (key in the code).

5. Know what you are buying. Produce is simply under the corresponding letter (Ex. Apple = Apple; Sweet Onion = Onion-Sweet), but if you are buying bakery items they are listed under Bakery (Ex. Croissant = Bakery-Croissant).

6. Unless a checkout helper is very near by, do not use self-checkout for liquor purchases.

7. NEVER EVER run back to grab something you forgot and leave your stuff there mid-checkout. That's just plain rude.

Hope this helps!

Never Disappoint!

2010-03-05T12:14:00.003-06:00

Stuffed Pork Loin Chops

My boyfriend told me that I will "never disappoint"! Talk about pressure. Actually, he was talking about food. I made stuffed pork chops for dinner the other night...

Stuffed pork is actually pretty simple. I had some stuffing in a bag leftover so I cooked that up with celery and onion and added craisins (about 2 dry cups worth was plenty). I bought 2 1.5" thick butterflied pork chop loins for under $5.

The trick was to sear the pork on the outside and inside for about 5 minutes (with sugar, salt, garlic powder and chili powder rubbed on) before stuffing so that I am positive it cooks all the way though! Throw it all in the oven for at least a half hour at 350 degrees (covered for the 1st 20 mins.) and POOF! Magic... dinner is made!

This is one of those meals that looks fancier than it is! And I only ate half of mine so the left overs are great too!

Latest city added to the itinerary

2010-03-03T15:24:00.001-06:00

Civita di Bagnoregio!

Photo #1, Photo #2, Photo #3

L•O•V•E

2010-02-25T16:44:00.002-06:00

I just love letter press:

It's

SIMPLE

CLASSY

and ELEGANT

Like this gorgeous stationary from Egg Press

A quick lesson in RA

2010-02-24T11:51:00.004-06:00

This is the best photo I could quickly find to help show RA without freaking people out!

Go here to watch the webmd.com slideshow about Understanding Rheumatoid Arthritis

Every time I go to my Rheumatologist I want to cry... I hate it. It is filled with what looks like 80 year old men and women who could not hop a fence to save their lives. That is not me, yet we see the same doctor for the same condition. I am one of them... and I hate it because I am NOT one of them.

If there were a RA specialist who only worked with 20-40 year old people, I'd go there... but I seriously doubt there is a market for that kind of doctor - arthritis is an "old person's" condition.

Today I happened upon this wonderful blog about RA, RAWarrior.com. It's sarcastic and lighthearted but helpful. It touched on one of my greatest pet-peeves related to RA: the comments I get when people hear "Rheumatoid Arthritis"... they hear "arthritis" and think "well I have some arthritis in my knees from playing football all though high school" or "yeah, my grandpa has arthritis".

NO!

That is not Rheumatoid Arthritis...

Google the images for Rheumatoid Arthritis... it is scary. Granted, a lot of those images are from before Enbrel and other drugs came along to help control it... but it is incurable and makes getting older even more scary.

The best thing about my RA is that most people don't know anything is wrong most of the time. I've become more open to talking about it with people, but no one really understands... except maybe your grandmother...

Boring lines: OUT! Fun Barcodes: IN!

2010-02-16T12:14:00.006-06:00

I'd like to share two companies that apparently make a living out of creating barcodes!

Who knew there was a market for this kind of design?

D Barcode in Japan

The site is in Japanese, good luck!

Vanity Barcodes

Poor Beaker!

2010-02-10T08:37:00.001-06:00

Great Muppets video! Now my day will be spent finding more great Muppets clips!

An algorithm for Making Friends:

2010-02-05T12:05:00.002-06:00

Something other than Italy...

2010-01-29T11:08:00.003-06:00

When I start to plan a trip I like to know all of my options (hotels, transportation, food, what to see and what to do). But I love to leave the days open too. Sounds contradictory but it is nice to know what you COULD do rather than what you HAVE to do that day and you don't leave your trip wish you had done something you didn't even know was an option. I am still waking up early in the morning thinking about Rome and Capri and Sorrento and Pompeii and Positano.

So even though my mind is on a single track, my life is not.

I just had a great review at work and I got asked to join a committee for our department. I just celebrated my man's birthday on Tuesday and my roommate's on Thursday. So life is busy, I am liking it that way... that doesn't stop me from planning/researching Italy in every vacant moment!

P.S. Do not try this cake:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Cake

Sounds delicious... and it was (incredibly sweet!), but it was a disaster in the kitchen! I removed the raw eggs from the mousse, but I followed everything else to a T.

I am starting to think it is my oven and not the recipes. I haven't had much luck with that oven...

Positano or no?

2010-01-22T11:46:00.005-06:00

Do we squeeze one more city in?

Rome-Sorrento-Pompeii-Capri-Positano back to Rome all in 9 days!

Photo source: Margaret Bowles, www.passingshotsphotos.com

After seeing this photo, who can say no?

New Trip in the works

2010-01-20T16:37:00.006-06:00

The plan for this year's trip is ITALY! Again!

But this time (because I vowed I would not go to Italy without going to Capri) the trip includes Rome, Sorrento, and Capri with possible day trips to Pompeii and Assisi.

photo credits: Blue Grotto from capri.com, Assisi from lloulou at tripadvisor.com,

Pompeii by O. Louis Mazzatenta at National Geographic, Capri lemon grove h_savill at flickr.com

On the TO DO list:

Capri's Blue Grotto, Church of St. Francis of Assisi, Pompeii ruins, try some real Limoncello, see the Roman catacombs, eat, eat gelato, swim, and hike!

Live Strong

2010-01-06T14:07:00.002-06:00

In the spirit of resolutions (and to waste more time on the internet) I have not really made the resolution to lose weight, but a healthier me would not be a bad thing! I found LIVESTRONG.com in the search for an online food journal and it's AMAZING!

My favorite features are the Daily Plate where you can keep track of your food intake (which really makes you think about snacking... already today I backed away from treats at work because I didn't want to put it on my Daily Plate). You can also record workouts you did... anything from typing for an hour to real exercise like biking. You can set goals of weight loss and/or calorie intake per day.

I also love the feature LIVESTRONG Loops! You can see other people's or create your own running/biking/walking routes. If you do the route, you can click "I Did This today" and it calculates the calories you burned and what not. I created on for the route that Jessica and I do when we go for walks!

Check it out... there is so much on the site!

I survived Christmas this year without having to take anyone to Urgent Care!

2009-12-30T08:47:00.004-06:00

Break it down:

Christmas Eve-Eve: Night in with my man. We were supposed to go to a party, but it started snowing and I wasn't all that up for it in the first place.

Christmas Eve: Shovel and clean the snow off of the cars, followed by four hours of craziness.

Note to self DO NOT EVER try to bake bread, make birthday cake, make dip, make deviled eggs, wrap presents, and get ready from 10:30-3... it doesn't work. You'll just stress yourself out AND the food will not come out right!

Went to church at 3:30 in NB and then off to Milwaukee. Finished the night at the man's parents house for left over ribs and a movie.

Christmas: Early up to my mom's for Christmas morning, off to the man's parents from 1-6 for gifts and dinner (mmm... steak and shrimp. The T's got Christmas dinner RIGHT!), and then back to my mom's for more gift opening and more food.

Grandma's Birthday: NOT a good morning. My arthritis was acting up and I didn't sleep well because I was in a lot of pain. My man had to drive me home so I could make frosting and get ready. By the time we got back to his house I was able to drive myself to my mom's and then to my cousin's. (My mom had to re-make the cake that fell apart!) And then more family and food. I got to play my new Super Munchkin game and was there until almost one with my sister, M, S & J.

Sunday: Nap, Nap and Nap! Those few days wore me out!

Merry Christmas Blogosphere!

2009-12-23T08:25:00.000-06:00

Animated lights in Kenosha, Wisconsin

I wish someone in my neighborhood would do this!

2009-12-21T12:53:00.001-06:00

Simply put:

2009-12-11T08:39:00.002-06:00

www.typcut.com

Cookie Baking

2009-12-07T11:10:00.002-06:00

Yesterday was my family's annual cookie baking bonanza. I had a rough start to the morning (I'm getting too old for some things!) but I powered through the day. I brought two doughs that I made with my sister Thursday night - Date Pinwheels and the "Firedrills" also called Pecan-topped Cookies. We finished the Polish cookies with pecans inside and I made the dough for Noels (cherry, chocolate & plain cookies that look like neapolitan ice cream) before I left.

Still to make:

-Cut outs

-Raspberry meringue kisses

-Peanut Butter Blossoms (with Hershey Kisses on top)

and that's just my to-bake list!

Photo sources: Raspberry meringues from Mayfly, Date Pinwheels from Diana Dyer's blog, Ribbon cookies from Cookie Madness, Cut outs from Kids' Cooking Activities, Polish cookies from Neaforever and Peanut Butter Blossoms from Delish blog

LEGOS!

2009-12-04T09:49:00.004-06:00

I've been posting a lot of links on Twitter about the neat-o stuff I have found related to Lego's so I thought I'd share them all here. My favorite are the business cards. But I have actually seen the calendar in person - my sister bought it!

Lego house by James May

The coolest Business cards EVER!

Lego Architecture

Recreated famous photos, using Legos: Photographer Mike Stimpson

Lego Advent calendar

Enjoy

First snow fall!

2009-12-04T09:25:00.003-06:00

Less than an inch so far but I am pretty sure Dec. 4th is a great day for the 1st snowfall here! (Just before St. Nick and all the Christmas decorations are popping up!) What's not such a great thing is walking 5 blocks to get your chinese food without a hat and in shoes not made for winter!

Now I just need a tree! I'd get a real one again, but it is a rare night when all the roommates are home. So I'll give it another week and then I'm bringing over the artificial tree. No worries though, I have the greatest pine scented candle ever made!! (at Season's of the Heart in Greendale... where else?!)

Photo sources: Nick Schweitzer's photo of the Menomonee River in Wauwatosa, Wiseacre's photo of a cemetery in Wauwatosa, and Hollydog61's photo of the Calatrava (MAM)

Ho Ho Uh-oh!

2009-12-03T12:28:00.002-06:00

Aww... cute ways to say my work computer won't let me do anything fun!

To see what I was trying to do (via the GAP website - related christmas!) go here.

Love Wisconsin? Love food?

2009-11-19T08:24:00.003-06:00

New Favorite Website: WisconsinFoodie.com

I found it by listening to Cramp & Adler in the Morning on 102.1 (they crack me up!) and the guest informed listeners that the Spirit Creek Farms' Ginger Carrots are awesome for a hangover and for stomach aches.

Go check it out!

On on the 8th Day...

2009-11-17T11:26:00.001-06:00

Man created Guinness...

not exactly but it is a great commercial!

I am 16 going on 17...

2009-11-11T09:26:00.002-06:00

Click to enlarge and see if you can see the "ghosts"!

Rick Steves' Episodes are now on Hulu.com and he takes you to Salzburg and Hallstatt! We ate at the same restaurant he did and didn't even know it!

Getting ready to plan the next trip... either Cozumel in February or Rome/Capri in August? We'll see how the year pans out... I also have a wedding to help out with in about a year.

iPhone Rebuttal

2009-11-04T09:09:00.002-06:00

Here's a fun remake of the Droid commercial.

The original can be seen here.

A Disney Halloween

2009-10-21T08:48:00.003-05:00

More Halloween fun! My grandma taped this off of the Disney Channel almost 25 years ago! I still feel like it's not Halloween without it!

Ahhh... the awesome 80's music paired with old-school cartoons, they don't make 'em like they used to!

Watch all 6 parts at Youtube.com

The winner...

2009-10-19T12:55:00.001-05:00

The winning pumpkin:

She wins every year!

Chili Dump 2009

2009-10-19T08:29:00.002-05:00

Every year my family hosts a fall party! We call it the Chili Dump because everyone is asked to bring a small bowl of chili and we put it all into a crock pot! The party consists of food, fire & pumpkins! Here is my 6th place pumpkin:

Hello Blog-o-sphere

2009-10-13T09:14:00.002-05:00

I wonder if other people blog like I do. I wrote a few posts this past week... I just kept them in the unpublished area instead. Maybe one day you can read them... for now, they are just mine.

This past weekend was... expensive, among other things.

Friday, the man and I drove up to Eau Claire and stopped at Majestic Pines Casino on the way. I know why I don't like casinos, yet I knew he would like it and I wanted to have a go at Blackjack. I spent an hour wondering the casino, playing slots and losing $40 rather than what I really wanted to do. It is intimidating! I felt as if the other players would get irritated with my lack of gambling etiquette. So when I left $40 poorer and without any excitement I was p-o-ed (and slightly jealous that the man came out ahead). Luckily, he spent his winnings on gas and lunch the next day - since I was buying the hotel stays for the weekend.

The real reason for the road trip was a wedding in Blaine, MN. But first: a stop at Leinenkugel's Brewery! (Who doesn't go on a Brewery Tour before a wedding?!) The wedding itself was really wonderful. I could tell how happy my friend was! A view of the woods outside and mini doughnuts fresh from the oven instead of wedding cake made this wedding personal to the couple! The greatest reception idea I've seen so far was the "Traveling Photo Booth". Every guest/couple/group got to take a series of pictures then you got a copy and a copy went into the guestbook to sign right next to it!

Sunday was the lazy drive home and a stop for breakfast. Max the dog was waiting for us at the man's parent's house, as was homemade chicken noodle soup and blueberry pie for dinner!

New York, I Love You

2009-10-02T09:15:00.003-05:00

A Friday Preview for you:

Another "Love, Actually" ? mmmm.... I love these kind of movies:

Also a Friday Recipe for you from epicurious.com:

White Bean & Pasta Soup
Just in time for the chilly Wisconsin weather rolling in this weekend!

Are you here for a bachelorette party or a funeral?

2009-09-24T14:57:00.003-05:00

When did it become trendy to ask your friends to come to a party all dressed in black? I hope this trend dies quickly!

I have another bachelorette party where the bridesmaids asked everyone to wear a black shirt... the bride will be in her wedding colors. While I understand it helps the bride to stand-out, it makes our group look depressing and boring... where is the creativity, people?!

Note to self: COLOR is your friend, especially when throwing a party! Loved THIS idea on Etsy.com!

2009-09-22T14:45:00.001-05:00

Another new favorite song...

Kenny Chesney AND Dave Matthews. I don't know if it gets any better than that!

Camping Round 2

2009-09-21T12:42:00.003-05:00

Another successful camping trip complete!

Here are some tips for camping mid-September:

a. you can't bring enough blankets, but close up your tent so it keeps the heat in... especially when sleeping alone.

b. don't bother with the beer... I have a lot of beer taking over my fridge now.

c. use foil to cook veggies separately from the meat... with a ton of Country Crock

d. when walking to another end of the lake via the lake... don't bother with the shorts. Some parts may get a little deep.

e. do not bother wearing your pedometer while playing volleyball... in the lake.

f. those camp songs and games are still fun! (but boy, have our minds changed!)

g. even if you think it may be chilly, the sun will still burn you. Last tan of the season though (probably)!

The menu this time included:

-Charlie's awesome burgers (again)

-cheese, summer sausage and crackers for lunch

-steak & chicken with a ton of grilled veggies (best meal EVER camping!)

-pudgy pies (mine was with marshmallow and peanut butter cups... but the 'mallows disintegrated in the heat!)

"You have a Polish name..."

2009-09-11T16:33:00.005-05:00

The Hofbrauhaus in Munich, a great place to mingle, laugh

and experience one part of the Munich lifestyle.

Beer is food.

I am so proud that a REAL LIVE GERMAN MAN thought I was a "good drinker."

I would like to thank my heritage, my dad and the wonderful city of Milwaukee!

He also found out that my (mom's family's) name is Polish... I guess in Munich that means FREE DRINK for you!