"A surprise is coming on Monday"...

said Mr. Polar Bear.

"For me??? A surprise for me???? Is it a new cat? Is the house being painted? Is it a new washer and dryer?" said I.

Mr. Polar Bear said nothing in reply.

Around comes Monday...no surprise. Instead, the surprise came on Tuesday!

And ding ding ding, I was RIGHT. It was a new washer and dryer!!!!

We DESPERATELY needed a new washer and dryer. Our old ones barely worked. I'd put in a shirt covered in cat hair, and the shirt would come out wet... and covered in cat hair. The dryer was a fire hazard that our cat had peed in one time. In short, the washer and dryer were so old, they were practically antique. Don't believe me? Here's me, doing laundry:

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My dress is so cute, isn't it?

OK, seriously though, the washer and dryer were really really old. We had talked about getting new ones since we moved in back in 2005. And now, we have a shiny new washer like this (with a matching dryer)!

LG Truesteam Washer and Dryer

I'm certainly no domestic goddess and my nesting instincts have flown the coop, right along with that Protestant work ethic I was allegedly born with...but I could not WAIT to do laundry in these amazingly modern contraptions.

But wait...the surprise did not end there! The nice delivery men brought in another new appliance! Any guesses as to what it was?

Door Adornment - Version 1.0

Miss Magic's Memo: I wrote this post in June 2010. As time goes, on I'm not sure I am still a big fan of these wreaths. That's what happens to indecisive brides who try to get a jump on things in a long engagement!

For our wedding at Viking Heaven (aka, The Barn at Valhalla - oh wow I haven't even posted about that, how backasswards of me!), doors need to be adorned. OK, maybe not need. But this is a craft I could do wayyyyyyy in advance, and seemed do-able for even this sometimes craft impaired bride. So I ordered all that ribbon and got to cutting and tying following directions from The Long Thread.

These directions are copy and pasted from here:
Supplies:

• 12″ foam wreath form
• 24 yards 1 1/4″ black grosgrain ribbon (or less if using a wider ribbon)
• Scissors
• Measuring tape

Steps:

1. Cut 45-50 16″ pieces of ribbon.
2. Tie one strand of ribbon in a knot around the wreath. I used a “messy knot” — right over left, then right over left again, pulling in the opposite direction. It doesn’t really matter how you do it as long as you are consistent all the way around. Repeat with the knots, pushing them close together, until you fill the wreath.
3. Cut one long piece of ribbon (48″) and tie one end to form a knot. Leave a long loop for hanging and tie another knot onto the wreath.
4. Trim any frayed or long ends.

See?

Ignore the green foam wreath part sticking out. That shouldn't be there.

Helpful tips:

1. Cut a bunch of ribbon, then go ahead and use Fray Check to stop the fraying BEFORE you tie. It's way easier than going around afterward, trimming and fray checking.

2. Some of you may feel like when you tie the knot, there is not possibly enough ribbon to make a bow. It may SEEM like this, to some of you. Not me of course. It certainly did not take me multiple tries and mutiple glasses of wine and multiple episodes of the Gilmore Girls to get the first bow tied correctly. I also didn't cut a bunch of ribbon 4 inches too short either. No sir-ee. But some of you might struggle. So be careful when cutting ribbon to insure it is the right length, and, um, just keep trying to make the bow. Once you make one, you're golden!

3. As you may have noticed above, a bit of my wreath is showing. Oopsy! When tying the bows, you kinda have to have the ribbon overlap on the back part of the wreath, to have the knots close enough to cover the wreath in the front. Usually you can tie the knot and then just slip one ribbon over another in the back.

Cost per wreath:
ribbon: 24 yards x $0.28 = $6.72
wreath: I don't have the exact receipt, but I think it was about 5$ at Michael's, and I had a 40% off coupon, which would make it = $3 approximately

TOTAL COST per wreath = about 10$
and since I'm making 4 wreaths, that's $40 total!

Not so shabby, if I do say so myself! Have you embarked on a DIY project to adorn some doors, or something equally "only brides would do this"? And...what do you think of my wreath???

Decision - Dunzo*!!!

Remember The Great Purple Debate of 2010? Oh, you don't? It was, like, totally on the news and everything - you must have been swamped that week.

Well, that particular debate raged on and on [in my mind] until bam, eBay to the rescue! I was searching for some wine/fall-y purple colored ribbons to make an awesome wedding craft, and I found a color called Currant.

Here is where everything got car-azy! There were several listings for a currant colored 1.5" grosgrain ribbon (pronounced "grow-grain" not "gross grain"...thanks for schooling me on that, Bridesmaid Pumpkin!)...some looked like "the good kind"* of purple...some looked like wino red. I emailed one seller, carriesshowcase, and asked if her currant ribbon was more red or purple...and when she replied purple, I bought it. ALL of it. 250 yards of ribbon to be exact!

The box arrived! And inside was this:

Does that look red to you? Don't worry, it's not really. It's a lovely purpley color, although I did recently notice that some of the ribbon is ever so sliiiiiiightly more red. I think only someone with bride brain would notice this.

{side note: who knew I'd be obsessed with reddish purples and purpley reds? The things we brides endure....}

So, all in all, I got 250 yards of ribbon shipped to me for $70, which equals 28 cents per yard! Not to shabby, if I do say so myself.

And even better, my purple decision was made for me! I'm going with the purple of this ribbon, which is most like plum raisin!

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Has eBay been good to you? And what do you think I'm making with all this ribbon???

*Mr. Magic says "dunzo" alllll the time. I know others use it now, but I swear he coined it. We've discussed opening a pizza parlor called Dunzo Pizza!

*"The good kind" is an old joke between us (and all of Mr. Magic's friends). One night, Mr. Magic was going to the bathroom and I very sleepily mumbled "Can you bring me a hair band - the good kind." He thought this was hilarious (apart from having no idea what it meant - the ouchless kind, obv!) and told his friends. Now anytime we want to specify something we add "the good kind" onto it.

OK, well, it's funny to us anyway. ;-)

Ouch! That hurts!*

OMG, does it hurt.

I recently purchased THIS workout video:

Oh Jillian Michaels. How I love, er, loved you. I love Jillian on the Biggest Loser. She's so witty and inspirational and really helps people work on both their inner and outer selves. Bob's OK too, but he does a little bit too much yoga for my tastes. I need someone to yell at me and make me fearful and so intimated that I just do whatever the hell she tells me to do. Plus, she gets amazing results! And just check out her abs - I want abs like that!

But...well...I'm not sure I love Jillian in my house. In fact, I might hate her. OK, not really, REALLY hate her like I hate Gisele and Tom Brady (I mean, what do they even talk about???), but I do kind of sort of hate her a little bit. Especially when she tells me not to phone it in. I swear, if I hear that phrase one more time, I might break the DVD in half (except I probably wouldn't be able to because my arms are always trembling after only five minutes of working out).

The reason for this new workout plan (er, half ass plan, really) is three fold. One, it's summer time, I just turned 30, and I want to look hot in a bikini to prove to everyone (ok myself, really) that I am not old. Two, we have our e-pic session soon, and I'd rather not be rocking flabby arms in my super cute dress. And three, well, it'd be nice to go ahead and get started and see if I can sustain this for the wedding...in October...of 2011. STOP LAUGHING! It's possible...maybe.

If you're going to do this DVD, heed my words of advice.

-The first time I did it, I tried 5 pound weights because that's all I had, and I assumed she was using, like, 10 pound weights. About twenty minutes in, she mentions she's using 3 pound weights. So, use 2 or 3 pound weights.

-Don't be afraid to take a break between circuits. This is probably what Jillian would refer to as "phoning it in." But I can take a breather and keep going...or just quit. I chose a breather.

-Skip the push ups and those side plank raises in the last circuit. I have NO idea what muscles to even use to DO those side plank raises. So, it's ok to skip what's hardest for you for now. You can always try it later (or not).

-Do more of what you enjoy. Like eating Velveeta shells and cheese. I mean, like ab work. That's my fave...for some reason it hurts less in the moment than all those squats.

Is there a workout program that you really enjoy? And how do you feel about Jillian?

*"Ouch! That hurts!" is a phrase that one of my clients with autism tends to overuse. He says it in a very high pitched voice. He uses it appropriately when talking about a headache or a bug bite, but once said "Ouch! That hurts!" when I tried to get him to eat a tiny bite of a tomato.

Miss Magic's Memo: I wrote this post in June 2010. I think since then I have done this DVD maybe 2.15 times. I have, incidentally, become a new fan of yoga which was introduced to me by Mrs. Lamb! 

The Story of Us: How We Met

I know you have been waiting for this. I've waited awhile to share this story with you, friends, because it's so freaking cute it might just make you gag. Grab a trash can, just in case, and here goes.

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Once upon a time, on a sunny day with Carolina blue skies, Miss Magic was walking along Franklin Street wearing a really fabulous outfit. She had on some really awesome Kate Spade heels, and one got caught in the sidewalk crack (don't you hate it when that happens?). As she struggled to free her shoe (it was really stuck and she was making quite a spectacle of herself), a handsome young man came by to assist her. He said "nice shoes" while really checking out her legs, and that's how Miss Magic and Mr. Magic met.

Cute story, huh? Thanks. It's totally not true.

So, Mr. Magic and I do not remember how we met. Mr. Magic was friends with some of my friends...and so that's how we got introduced, I guess, but we can't really remember the exact moment when we met. Mr. Magic's earliest memory of me is of seeing me take my then boyfriend up to my room while Mr. Magic was playing board games with my roommates (1. I do NOT remember this at all. 2. This is NOT a great story to tell the aunts and cousins who want to know the sappy, romantic version of how we met). My first memory is of us sitting in a booth at a bar. I mentioned that I really needed a computer, and Mr. Magic mentioned that he really needed a girlfriend. I swear this happened...although my memory is the worst, and not that reliable, but I really feel this happened. Maybe.

I also remember my three roommates and I having a keg party, and he was there, and I was trying to dance with him, and his friends encouraged him, and he was very weird and nervous. And I was drunk.

I do know we met in the year 2002. Maybe in August. Or September?

This is kind of disappointing, isn't it? It's disappointing even to ME! We don't have the "Love at First Sight" story, but we also don't have the "We Always Knew the Other was The One" story. We had a very weird and awkward "courtship" at first, with me not wanting to jump into another relationship and both of us lacking the communication skills to talk about what we wanted.

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Factor in Mr. Magic moving away and getting a new girlfriend, me going to grad school , and a lot of miscommunication, and it's amazing that we ever got back together in the first place! (That happened in 2004. I do know that.)

How did you and your SO meet? Have you ever embellished or changed the story to make it more appropriate or romantic? And I am the only person who doesn't remember how she met her partner???

Making something out of nothing....

I'm doin it rite (because I am awesome!!!)!

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Like that, see?

Oh, ok, you wanna know what I made out of nothing? Here it is....

I know. You're mouth is hanging all agape at this lovely paper box. *shrugs* When you've got talent, you've got it, and when you don't, you don't!

How on earth did I make such a lovely and useful box, you ask (in shock and awe, of course)? Well, I'll tell you.

First, I asked for, and thereafter received, this.

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FMIL gave it to me for Christmas! It's gorgeous, plus on the back of each page is a template for a craft, so a beautiful and talented crafter can reuse the page and make something out of it! Yes, like this box!

It IS very green of me, isn't it? Thanks for noticing. And for those of you doubters who allege that I didn't make it out of nothing, that I made it out of something that came with directions and dotted lines on which to cut...well, it's really all semantics, isn't it?

Moving on.

First, set up your work station.

Use a tiny work space, and make sure you have a Sun Drop to drink (ok, or your fave form of caffeine) and some Gilmore Girls playing in the background.

Oh, also, get a bone folder and a ruler. They look like this, in case you don't know what a bone folder is (haha, and if you don't, you must be a real DIY-LOSER***!)

***This was my first time using a bone folder, so really I'm just projecting my own DIY-loser insecurities. At least I recognize these Freudian defense mechanisms that crop up in my crafting.***

Then, cut on the lines that indicate cutting. It'll look something like this....

Next, complain about the lack of work space. Procrastinate and watch a full episode of the Gilmore Girls (bonus points if you know what season or episode was shown previously!). Yell at Mr. Magic "Are you ever going to pick up that free and awesome desk with the large flat work space, for God's sake?"

Finally, use the bone folder and ruler to make foldy line thingys. They will make the box fold up nicely.

Lastly, fold the box into a box. Sadly, I must admit that this took QUITE awhile. I have no idea why. I'm gonna blame it on the Sun Drop - too much caffeine!

And yes, alternate titles for this post included "Making a Mountain Out of a Molehill" and "Bone Folder Virgin No More" and, probably most appropriately, "Why I Need a New Spacious Workspace."Also, I am still not certain I am using this bone folder thingy correctly. I mean, what exactly am I supposed to do with this apparently very important tool that I never knew I needed until I got engaged?!?

What do you do your crafting on? Has any seemingly easy project stumped you? And most importantly, what the heck do you do with a bone folder?

Back from Ireland, and God Bless America!

I've been gone for awhile, in Ireland for work. Sounds glamorous, doesn't it? Well it IS................NOT. SO SO NOT. I mostly enjoyed the inside of a Radisson, and the restaurant at that same Radisson, but I did get to do a few hours of sight seeing where I saw this:

Pretty, huh?

I also really missed America while I was gone. I missed the following things, in no particular order....




The European Union does have red coke (aka coca cola, or original coke) available...it just tastes gross. Apparently it has healthy sugar from a beet plant. Not that high fructose corn syrup that I love so much!

The two hotels I stayed in failed to provide me with washcloths. I never did figure out why this was the case. So I missed my washcloths and loofah thingys very much. Also, I missed my Clarisonic facial brush, which I was afraid to take in my luggage in case it went off and was mistaken for something else that vibrates.

Velveeta shells and cheese. Nuff said.

Blank index cards. In America, we are freaking spoiled. There are probably 4 stores within walking distance of my house (and I live in suburbia, y'all!) that sell a variety of office supplies - and these are NOT office supply stores. I'm talking CVS, Walgreens, Food Lion, Kroger...possibly even the gas station. In Ireland, I could NOT find a blank index card in any of the three grocery stores I went to. Only one of the three stores had markers (Tesco, obv) and none had packing tape or anything resembling it. I went into a Boots pharmacy that carried only Health and Beauty Aids. No gum, no magazines. WTF yo??? So I'm glad to be back in America where slightly useful items are available on every corner.

Finally, Weddingbee! Oh Weddingbee, how I have missed you! I had a chance to read you every now and then, but never time to comment or post. So, so sad. I want a week's vacation to catch up on all the wedding related decisions, dreams, and drama that I have missed out on!

Suffice to say, I am happy to be back in America, and especially happy to be back to reading Weddingbee while drinking red American coke and eating a box of Velveeta shells and cheese. Oh, and also happy to get back to some DIY projects for my own wedding, and to planning my friend's upcoming shower and bachelorette! More posts on those to come, so stay tuned....