This Sunday and Monday I get to catch a plane out to LAX and attend one of my favorite annual events! Fiesta Hermosa is known as the largest arts and crafts fair in Southern California, and it isn’t hard to see why. There’s a highly diverse food court, a beer and wine garden and two stages of live music all throughout the day!

Not only that, but you can peruse through the countless number of tables displaying amazing art available for purchase, and usually at a very good price!

If you remember (WAY back when), this was the first event I attended on behalf of 8^th Continent. I got to meet so many new people and introduced them to 8^th Continent. It was awesome because I realized that when people give it a chance, they love our soymilk as much as I do! I even made a taste testing video where people blindly tried our soymilk vs. the popular soymilk brand to see which one they preferred. Needless to say, we won. I can’t explain how much I am looking forward to seeing some of these people again and looking back on such a long and adventurous journey.

If you are planning on coming out with the kiddies, don’t fret! They have tons of entertainment for children as well! There are Pony Rides, Petting Zoos and amazing Face Painters. I got an awesome piece of art brushed on my face last year. So as you can see, it is not only for kids; but also for the kid inside of the adult.

I’ll be cruising around, taking pictures, handing out free 8^th Continent and a whole bunch of coupons! Make sure to come on out and say hi! If you’re on Twitter send us a shout out when you come around.

As mentioned in a previous post, 8^th Continent Soymilk has a place online for moms to share their best (and funniest) mommy stories. It’s a celebration of what it’s like to be a real mom, and how sometimes you can’t always be perfect.  Not only is it fun to submit your story and read other mommy mishaps, but you also have a chance to win one of three amazing prizes. We call this the “Nice Job, Mom” contest.

We’re really excited to announce the first prize for July: ONE YEAR of house cleaning by Merry Maids, has just been awarded to Lis E. for her hilarious story, “I Will Destroy You” about how after seeing a few ‘big boy’ cartoons, her two year old son took one look at their pastor at church, who was wearing a white robe and a large ceremonial staff, pointed at him in a warrior stance and declared…well you can read it for yourself here.

Lis is set to tell her story on the Broadminded show on the XM radio channel 155, tomorrow at 3pm EST. So tune in! It should be a good laugh.

I can just hear the sigh of moms everywhere saying, “that prize would be sooo nice, I want that!” Luckily we’ve got three prizes left (a few days left for August). So head to www.facebook.com/8thcontinentsoymilk and submit your mommy faux pas for a chance to win a room makeover from Home Line Furniture and automatically be entered to win a vacation package for two from Caravan Tours.

So, Nice Job, Mom! We can’t say it enough and the more stories we get the more we love saying it.  And congratulations again to Elizabeth E.—all of us at 8^th Continent hope you enjoy the heck out of that Merry Maids cleaning service for a year!!!

Also, be sure to “Like” our Facebook Page and follow us on Twitter to join our community of parents and get access to coupons and recipes.

I have always been a fanatic for vinyl records. I remember listening to Michael Jackson’s “Beat it” on my Fisher Price record player on the sidewalk in front of my house dancing with all of my friends. When the iPod first came out, I was still listening to my 45’s. And now that I am all grown up, I have refined my collection down to only a few hundred vinyl records. So I go through them and listen to records every day, but today I stumbled upon a techno remix of Earth Wind and Fire. Keep in mind I adore Earth Wind and Fire, but this remix just wasn’t my taste. So I started thinking- what can I make with this record?

It was only natural that I made it into something I could use to show my love for records. So a wrist cuff? I say YES!

What you will need

• A vinyl record
• A cookie pan
• An oven
• Kitchen sheers
• Oven mits

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees
• Place vinyl record on cookie sheet
• Allow to sit in oven for about 5 minutes or until you can see it warping- The amount of time you leave the record in the oven will depend what era the vinyl is from because the thickness of records changed from time period and company
• (Using Oven Mits) Take the cookie pan out of the oven and cut one strip down the middle of the record. Cut the strip about an inch wide
• Once you have finished cutting, the record probably has cooled down and is no longer as pliable, so pop it right back in the oven for about another 4 minutes!
• (Using Oven Mits) take out the strip you had cut and roll it around itself, leaving the middle open enough to comfortably fit your wrist
• Hold the record strip in this position until it has cooled and is no longer pliable
• Your cuff should be flexible enough to take it off and put it on.
• Go out and show off your new awesome bracelet to your friends and look like an absolute rockstar

Are you going to make this? Have you recycled and revamped something you didn’t have use for into an awesome creation? Hit me up on Facebook or on Twitter and give me some more ideas for my next DIY craft!

Also, check out these other Create Something Saturday crafts:

• DIY Stencil Art
• Scratched CD Disco Ball
• Toilet Paper Roll Wall Art
• 8th Continent Carton Bird Feeder

This is a great craft that teaches your children the importance and joy of reusing and making recycled crafts. Parents, make sure to help your child with the cutting. To add a little more fun to the project, kids can paint the outside for extra flare!

Supplies:

• 1 8^th Continent Soymilk carton, free with purchase of 8^th Continent Soy Milk
• scissors
• Xacto Knife
• yarn or twine
• bird seed

First, enjoy and drink your 8^th Continent Soymilk until it’s empty, then wash it thoroughly.

After the carton is dry, cut a square in two opposing sides of the carton. I used an Xacto knife for cleaner lines.

Make sure the lip of the bird feeder is high enough from the bottom of the carton so that you are able to put bird seed inside.

Using the tip of the Xacto knife, puncture the top of the carton and rotate the blade slowly in a circle to make a hole.

String your yarn or twine through the hole.

Fill the birdfeeder with bird seed and find a limb outside of your window where you can enjoy the view of birds coming up to their new Sunny 8^th Continent bird feeder.

Did you make one? Post a picture on our Facebook Fan Page or let us know on Twitter!

Also, check out these other Create Something Saturday crafts:

• DIY Stencil Art
• Scratched CD Disco Ball
• Toilet Paper Roll Wall Art

We want to thank everyone for participating and wish you luck the next time we do another contest. If you’re not already following us on Twitter, be sure to do so in order to participate in these challenges and other fun things we do.

By the way, if you didn’t win the retweet challenge and want another chance of winning something grander, be sure to check out our “Nice Job, Mom” contest happening right now!

Here’s a list of the winners. CONGRATULATIONS!!

Winners of 3 month supplies:
Anthony H
Salem, OR

Caitlin P
Durham, NC

Michelle B
Falls Church, VA

Michelle S
Bay City, MI

Kristin H
New York, NY

Grand Prize Winner of a 6 Month supply:
Louis Huffmire
Anaheim, CA

Article by: Megan Stremick

Pose: Cobra

Your on the floor playing with the kids, lying on your belly while they push around the blocks or show you how well they can open and close their favorite pop up book (for the millionth time), so why not do a little something good to strengthen your back and your arms while you’re there. This pose is simple enough in the execution but delivers big results from repeated use.

Cobra Benefits:

Promotes blood circulation and strengthens the spine

Opens the heart and lungs and stimulates the abdominal organs

Tones upper arms and buttocks

Stretches the chest, shoulders and abs

Cobra How To:

1. Lie flat on your stomach, top of your feet flat on the mat and your hands at the sides of your chest right next to your front ribs.
2. Keep your elbows in the frame of the body (imagine there is a string attached to each elbow holding them in next to your body)
3. Push through the hands, lifting the chest, and pressing the pubic bone into the earth.
4. Keep a soft bend in your elbows (elbows pointing straight back not out to the sides) and look straight ahead
5. Hold here for three deep breaths then push back to child’s pose.

Cobra Caution:

Pregnant women should avoid this pose as well as any women who have serious back pain or carpal tunnel syndrome or suffer from a hernia.

Make sure to follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook for more Yoga Made Easy poses!

Related Posts:

• Baddha Konasana
• Tadasana
• Uttanasana
• Utkatasana
• Warrior 1
• Warrior 2
• Downward Facing Dog
• Childs Pose
  

Article By: Megan Stremick

Pose: Childs Pose

There is a little child in everyone of us just screaming to get out but once released this child doesn’t say “let’s go on a roller coaster ride and eat cotton candy till we puke!”, this child whispers in a soft little voice “rest, relax, and just be”. This pose is reminiscent of when I was a little girl and my mom would let me stay up late to watch Bambi. I sat on the comfy shag carpet in a ball in front of the TV and felt so comfortable in my own little world—that is until my brother would push me over and tickle me until I cried, but it was oh so nice while it lasted.

Today, I routinely practice Childs Pose, and I don’t need to be watching Bambi to do it. I practice this pose as both a transition between a series of challenging asanas, or poses, and as a chance to take a rest and calm my thoughts. So let your inner child remind you to rest, relax, and just BE for a few moments out of everyday while you practice this pose.

Childs Pose Benefits:

Gently stretches the lower back, hips, and ankles

Relieves stress and tension

Childs Pose How To:

1. Begin on your hands and knees, with the tops of your feet flat on your mat, knees out to a V and your big toes touching.
2. Slowly lower your tailbone to your heels and your torso down between your thighs.
3. Lengthen the neck and gently rest your forehead onto the mat.
4. Place your arms on the mat by the sides of your torso, with your hands back by your feet, palms up.
5. Stay here for at least three deep breaths if you are transitioning between poses or a few minutes if this is your only pose.

Childs Pose Caution:

Those with knee injuries should not attempt this pose unless properly supervised by a yoga teacher.

Have any poses you need help with? Let us know on our Facebok or Twitter.

Related Posts:

• Baddha Konasana
• Tadasana
• Uttanasana
• Utkatasana
• Warrior 1
• Warrior 2
• Downward Facing Dog
  

Today begins the 16^th Annual X Games in LA. This year’s competition will include Moto X, Skateboarding, BMX, and Rallying. If you can’t make it to downtown LA, don’t fret- ESPN and ESPN2 will be airing more than 31 hours of live HD programming!
This year’s X Games is loaded with some of the biggest names in extreme sports like Anthony Napolitan, Blako ‘Bilko’ Williams, Scotty Cranmer, Elissa Steamer, Travis Pastrana, and one of my all-time favorites Shaun White.

Not only can these athletes do extraordinary things in their sports, but they have also paved the way for other people to be able to learn and grow into aggressive sports.

Elissa Streamer

Elissa Streamer was one of my heroes while growing up. She was the first female to get a video part in a legit skate movie and the first female to get an avatar in a skateboarding videogame (Tony Hawk’s “Pro Skater”).  Women like Ms. Streamer have paved the way for female skateboarders and women of many different aggressive sports by sticking with the sport she loved, even when the boys suggested she be a cheerleader instead.

Shaun White

Shaun White is nothing less than a superstar. He is not only one of the best skateboarders in the world, but he is also one of the best snowboarders in the world. He started competing in Winter X Games when he was only 13. Ten years later, Shaun White is still a force to be reckoned with at the age of 23.

There are many more talented athletes that will be competing in the X Games this year. You can check out all of their profiles here and if you can’t tune in to ESPN or ESPN2 on your TV, make sure to catch the free updates online here.

If you can come on out to Downtown LA make sure to keep an eye out for the 8^th Continent Soymilk team. We will be passing out samples, coupons, and supporting all of the amazing extreme athletes!

Do you have a favorite competitor in X Games 2010? Let us know on Twitter or Facebook!

If you are a fan of graffiti or any type of street art, chances are you have come across an artist named Banksy who does impeccable stencil art installations and is now a world-renowned artist, even though he keeps his identity a secret. You may not be an aspiring Banksy, but would like to make some stencil art yourself.

If you follow these directions you will be able to easily make stencil art of your own all by doing a quick picture edit, printing it out, cutting it out, and then painting!

What you will need:

• A printer with black ink
• Xacto Knife
• Paints
• Card Stock Weight Paper
• Canvas
• Regular Paint Brush
• Sponge Paint Brush
• Bright Colored Marker

Directions:

• The first thing you want to do is find a picture that you would like to make into a stencil. Pictures that have lots of different shades and tiny details may not work as well for stencil art. Silhouettes are usually good candidates for stencils.
• Import the chosen picture into your favorite editing software and open up the picture editing options.

• Recolor the picture to grayscale.

• Turn the contrast all the way up to 100%.

• Adjust the brightness level keeping in mind that you will be cutting out the black sections of the picture.
• Once you have adjusted the picture, resize it and print it out on Card Stock Weight Paper.

• After you have printed the picture, take a bright marker and trace the parts that you will be cutting out. Take note that some of the white spots are encompassed by black, which would cut out that detail. (For example, Marilyn’s pupil) To avoid this, create a small pathway from the white space to another white space to make sure that detail is not lost.

• Using the Xacto knife, cut out all of the black areas.
• Paint the background of your canvas whatever color you would like and allow to sit for about 3 minutes.
• Once the canvas is nearly, but not completely dry, press your stencil on top of it allowing the paper to stick to the nearly dry paint.

• Take your sponge brush and dab the areas that you have cut out of the stencil. Don’t apply too much paint so it won’t bleed over.
• Carefully peel your stencil away from the canvas as soon as you have applied the black paint to the stencil and allow your creation to dry.

Now the most important part, figure out where to hang your awesome new stencil art.

WARNING! Be prepared for conversations like the following:

“Oh cool stencil art?!? Who made that?”

“Me.”

“Nuh uh! Come on, tell me the truth. Who made that???”

“I did.”

“NO WAY!”

etc. etc. etc.

Did you use this tutorial to make some stencil art? Need any more tips? Wanna share what you made? Post it on my Facebook or hit me up on my Twitter!

Article By: Megan Stremick

When I was a little girl I was an adorable little pudge ball with dark curly hair and big brown eyes, I had a personality the size of Texas and was considered the chatter box of any group. I talked my mom’s ears off all day, every day and finally when I was about five years old she thought with my big cheeks and even bigger mouth I would be perfect for commercials.

She started taking me to auditions and on the way there I would talk, talk, talk but to her surprise once she put me in the room with the casting directors I would clam up tight, barely giving them a simple “hi my name is”. And to make it even more frustrating for my mom I would then get back in the car and talk, talk, talk, all the way home. Needless to say I never starred in any commercials.

Present day, I have grown up and I’m now a mom of a one year old. I still have the same dark curly hair and full cheeks and I am still the biggest chatter box in any group (especially those groups that drink wine). When the 8^th Continent  Nice Job Mom campaign started underway and it was time to do a video to introduce the contest I was asked to step in front of the camera and talk to you, my fellow moms, and “be myself”.

Of course there was a script because there were a lot of things that we at 8^th Continent wanted to be sure we relayed about what the Nice Job Mom contest is all about and how you can participate. So I had to read it but again it was stressed that I needed to “be myself”.

When I arrived for the filming there was no one to pick out what I should wear and no one to do my hair and make-up—and I just thought “Wow, they really want to film me just as I am—they aren’t going to pretty me up or anything—this should be interesting”. There was no one coaching me on how my expressions should be or how to give the right inflections at the right time—it was just me being…well…awkward.

I’ll be honest, I tried my hardest to “be myself” but every time the camera rolled the butterflies started fluttering in my stomach and the words just started coming out of my mouth and my face started moving and my voice starting changing and I was thinking “who is talking right now, this can’t be me, this doesn’t sound like me”. As much as I tried to be myself and as genuine as the words were that came out of my mouth it was almost like I was having an out of body experience.

By take 15, I thought I hit my stride with the my words but then I’d get to the part where I pronounce ‘sweepstakes’ and all of a sudden I developed a lisp that I never had before. This was so much harder than I thought it was going to be me—and all I’m doing is “being myself”.

Have you ever watched a movie and looked at the actors and thought “I can totally do that, I could act and make millions of dollars”? Well, I have thought that a million times and I will tell you that after doing this little two minute video I would be homeless and hungry if I tried to make a living being an actress. I have a new-found respect for all of the actors that we watch who make it look so real and quite frankly, make it look easy.

So, please, when you watch the video where I introduce 8^th Continents Nice Job Mom contest, have mercy on me. Try to get past my cheesy expressions and inflections and focus on the contest. Oh, and don’t forget to browse other mom stories and share your own.