Oh Sarah O !

What I'm Listening To: Die Antwoord

2012-02-11T08:00:00.000-06:00

I previously mentioned that last weekend, I traveled up to my former college town to have a "Girl's Night." Well, that weekend my friend showed me some music videos from a South African band called Die Antwoord. And since then I've had visions of men in Pink Floyd boxer shorts dancing around in my head :-P The first video is from the bands debut release and the second is the band's latest single. Check it out!

Die Antwoord- Zef Side

When I first watched Zef Side I thought that the video was so wild that I hardly thought this was a real, legit band.

Die Antwoord- I Fink U Freaky

The second video is so freaky that I couldn't turn away.

What do you think? Have you listened to Die Antwoord before? Do you own their album? Let me know in the comments below.

Like an Animal

2012-02-09T23:33:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone! Sorry for my absence. This weekend I traveled up to my former college town to have a "Girls Weekend" (and I met up with my guy friend too).

On Saturday my lady friend and I met up with friends at Henry T's in Lawrence, KS to watch the KU vs. Mizzou basketball game. The place was packed and the score bounced back and forth with KU in the lead for most of the second half. But, at 9:59, KU got a couple of bad ref calls and in less than a minute Mizzou took the lead and won the game. *sad face*

Over the weekend I also got to walk up and down Massachusetts Street and do a little shopping and eat some good eats. Unfortunatly, I didn't take any photos of my loot, the shops, or my friends, but I did take some Really cute cat photos.

Cat in a Box

Raven Bookstore Kitty

Anyways, if you are a follower of Fab Finds Under $50, you're likely to have seen that today's outfit inspiration is from moi and my eShakti dress (blogged here). So, if you're new to my blog or just passing through, I'd like to say hello and thank you for stopping by. *wave*

What's Making Me Laugh: Sh*t Liz Lemon Says and Craig Ferguson

2012-01-28T10:03:00.001-06:00

I'm sure you've seen several YouTube videos for the latest internet meme "Sh*t ____(fill in the blank)____ Says". Well this week I stumbled across a video for one of my favorite TV characters, Liz Lemon of 30 Rock, which reminded me of why I'm a fan of the show. Check it out!

Also, on Friday night I had the opportunity to see Craig Ferguson live on stage. All I can say is that I will never look at a hen's egg the same way again. The show was hilarious and well worth the ticket price!

Previously on Project Runway All Stars: Episode 3

2012-01-25T08:00:00.000-06:00

This week on Project Runway the designers were asked to design a red carpet worthy cocktail dress for a major celebrity- Miss Piggy. Now, to some viewers this challenge may seem a bit outdated as Miss Piggy's Muppet Movie was released in theaters around the Christmas holiday. But, if you can recall, Project Runway All Stars was scheduled to air last fall (in 2011), but was pushed back to 2012.

Anyway, the spirit of the challenge was to create a fun yet fashionable dress. I was really surprised to see that so many designers seemed to gravitate towards black fabric instead of embracing bright, bold and funky colors and a few designers elected to focus their dresses on meeting the designers aesthetic rather than focus their efforts on a dress worthy of Miss P.

Safe

Kara

Before the runway, Kara fought with Mondo and Austin over accessories (namely the gloves) and for good reason. I thought that the cutout made the dress interesting, although I can't image this look on Miss P. In fact, the only part of the outfit that I can picture on Miss P are the gloves.

Mondo

Mondo's dress had a retro vibe with it's short, mod-mini dress shape and big buttons, yet the origami- like fabric treatment at the bottom made the dress appear fresh and modern. I thought that Mondo's dress was better than some of the looks that made it into the top 3 and I could totally see this look on Miss Piggy if she were making an appearance on Mad Men.


Anthony

I thought that Anthony created a very beautiful and fashion forward look. Heck, I would wear his dress! However, I believe that Anthony's use of black fabric and dark colored fabrics may have come across as too serious for the judges and Miss Piggy.

April

April is an example of a designer who decided to cling to their design aesthetic over creating a look that their client would like. April stuck to her predominant use of dark, gothy color (black) and created a look worthy of Miss Piggy, if Miss Piggy were attending a funeral.

Jerell

Jerell's dress had way too much going on- it's had ruffles, sequins, lace, feathers and jewels. Plus, this outfit fit his model poorly, giving his model the appearance of saggy boobs and a wide waist. And the look was forgettable to boot! In my opinion, Jerell's look should have landed him in the bottom 3. I'd even go as far as say that I think Jerell's look should have sent him home.

Top

Kenley

I was totally surprised when Kenley's dress landed in the top 3, because I thought she was surely headed to mediocrity at best with her simple skirt design, awkward fitting top, and giant pile of tulle on her model's head. Even Miss Piggy said that she thought the hat could double as a pot scrubber. I kind of think the only reason this ended up in the top is because it was a) predominantly pink b) so the judges to talk about the dress some more.

Rami

Rami's dress definitely screamed fun with it's giant ruffles and pink and orange polka dots. It also reminded me of a flamenco dancer dress, and some of my Barbie doll's outfits from the 1990s. Even Miss Piggy said "This is the most Garish Outlandish Ridiculous thing I've ever seen. I love it. It looks like a candy store exploded." I suppose if the criteria was to make the most fun, whimsical and cartoon like dress- Rami's dress was worthy of the top 3...if only he could get the polka dots on the seams to match up.

Michael C.

I thought that Michael C. created a pretty dress that made his model look like a Christmas present and a hat worthy of the Royal Wedding; however, I had a difficult time imagining Miss Piggy in the look. Apparently, I'm not in tune with Miss Piggy's tastes, because Michael's look was selected for the win.

Bottom

Mila is

Austin

I liked the initial idea and description of Austin's dress; however I wasn't thrilled about Austin's choice of lipstick pink fabric or the 2 giant pink bows on each hip (they made me want to reach into the TV and cut the bows off). I believe Austin really could have pulled this outfit into the safe zone with a little tweaking and I was glad that the judges decided to keep him around for another week.

Mila

Mila was another designer who totally disregarded the client's tastes, and created a look to meet the designer's own aesthetic. Mila's look wasn't bad, in fact it was kind of cool with it's 60s mod vibe, but the dress was too serious and severe for Miss Piggy and did not appear fresh or fun. This week, the judges kept Mila safe.

Gordana

Gordana was sent home this week. Gordana's dress wasn't bad, but it was also not very original and looked more like a Miss Piggy night gown than a cocktail/ red carpet dress.

What did you think of the challenge, judges decisions, and dresses? Let me know in the comments below.

34th World Wide SketchCrawl

2012-01-23T23:03:00.000-06:00

This weekend I participated in the 34th World Wide SketchCrawl. Now, you may be asking yourself, what is a SketchCrawl? Have you ever heard of a "PubCrawl?" Well, a SketchCrawl is kind of like a Pub Crawl except instead of visiting as many drinking establishment as you can, the idea is to engage in a marathon sketching session and sketch as many things as you can inside of your sketchbook. And the World Wide SketchCrawl is a SketchCrawl event in which people from around the world are asked to spend a day sketching and then post their results on the SketchCrawl forum.

So, this Saturday I met a group of local sketchers (and The Boy's mother) at my local independent art supply store to do some SketchCrawling. Initially we thought that we would all meet at the art supply store and maybe draw items at the store and then venture outside drawing items and buildings in the neighborhood, but temperatures ranged from 14 to 35 degrees so most of us opted to stay inside of the store and sketch items in the store or out the window. Here are my drawings:

If you're interested in learning more about the SketchCrawl or want to check out more sketches from my fellow sketchers click here and here. And as always, feel free to leave some comments below.

What's Making Me Laugh: Craft Talk

2012-01-21T08:00:00.000-06:00

Need some motivation to get your craft on? Well check out Leslie Hall in Craft Talk to get your crafting on!

Put A Bird On It

2012-01-18T08:00:00.000-06:00

dress: c/o eShakti

shoes: Old Navy

I recently discovered Portlandia on Netflix "Watch It Now" and am obsessed with it. It's hilarious (and it secretly makes me want to visit Portland). Anyways, a few weeks ago I was contacted by a representative from eShakti who asked me if I would like to do a review of one of their customized clothing items. I was already familiar with their products and had already seen several product reviews online, so I jumped at the opportunity.

eShakti offers real fashion for real people with sizes ranging from 0-24W. eShakti also offers customization, so if you love an item but aren't thrilled with the neckline, sleeves, or hemline you can change it (your first customization is free, and additional changes are $7.50). I had a tough time choosing which dress I wanted to order (between the contrast trim cotton dress, the contrast collar sheeth dress, the falling leaves trench dress, the feathered skirt, and the circle in a square peg skirt) but ultimately I decided to go with the birds who gossip dress in black/white. I customized the dress by entering my measurements on the eShakti website and having cap sleeves instead of short, ruched and buttoned sleeves. When the dress arrived in the mail, it fit like it was made for me, because it was made for me and the fabric is buttery soft.

eShakti is also featured in Glamour magazine.

So, if you haven't checked out eShakti, what are you waiting for? Go and get yourself some cute clothes.

print close up

outtakes

See: Disclosure Statement

Previously On Project Runway All Star: Episode 1 and 2

2012-01-17T08:00:00.000-06:00

Episode 1

For the premiere of Project Runway All Stars there were some major let-downs right from the get go as we saw that there would be no Heidi Klum, and instead this season will be hosted by model Angela Lindvall. Also, instead of Tim Gunn, we have Marie Claire editor Joanna Coles, and instead of Nina Garcia, Michael Kors and a guest judge, we have Georgina Chapman, designer Issac Mizrahi and a guest judge.

At the beginning of the episode, the cast was asked to show 3 looks from their own collections, but only one look from each collection was shown on TV. The first challenge was an unconventional challenge, as the designers were asked to create a look inspired by a look from their own collection using items from a 99 cent store. Lets take a look at their designs:

Safe

Anthony

Anthony used purple streamers and gold safety pins to make a dress that was totally Anthony. I would have liked to see a more Southern, "bell of the ball" touch, but it was a good effort by Anthony.

Austin

I had high expectations for Austin, as he came in second in season 1 and had a show with Santino a year ago. I expected to see a more elegant and sophisticated look from him, and thought his outfit was a bit mermaid-y.

Michael

April

April and Michael both went with the mop heads to make dresses worthy of Lea Michele (see here). I preferred the patterning on April's mop dress to Michael's, but the patterning and draping was hard to see on either look with the black/white mop head patterning.

Kenley

I didn't get the relation of Kenley's dress to her original collection piece, and I thought her model looked like a princess...of someones shower.

Kara

Kara's outfit didn't make an impression on me, but after giving it a second glance, I think it's a hip and cool look. The top and skirt are fashionable, but not fashion forward, but I'm not thrilled with the belt.

Mila

Mila managed to find a bold graphic pattern in the 99 cent store. I thought her look was very futuristic, but I'm worried about the shortness of the dress/tunic thingie and potential crotch/bum exposure.

Top

Jerell

Jerell created a pretty dress with scarves from the 99 cent store. But, although it was pretty and wearable his materials weren't really all that unconventional, so ultimately he was just safe.

Mondo

I loved Mondo's look as he completely transformed the garbage bags, electrical tape and cowboy hats into a stylish, fashionable look. I thought Mondo should have been the winner, but he was only safe.

Rami

Rami created a voluminous look out of gift bags and took home the win for this challenge.

Bottom

Sweet Pea

Sweat Pea declared that she is all about color, and created this Latino inspired dress with brightly colored rags and belts. I wasn't in love with this outfit, but I didn't hate it either, but I also didn't notice some of the unfinished ends like the judges did.

Gordana

I remembered that Gordana was a quick sewer and she stated that she wanted to make something flowing, but about halfway through the episode I wanted to yank the sequins out of Gordana's head and tell her that her outfit looked like a pom-pom. Well, the judges agreed and Gordana was in the bottom, but she was saved in the end.

Elisa

This week, the crazy, fabric spitting, hippie Elisa was out. Frankly, I was surprised that Project Runway All Star's brought her back at all and was not surprised to see her go. I think maybe Elisa would do better as a performance artist or metaphysical interpreter in Sedona, rather than a fashion designer.

After episode 1, I was pretty happy with the top 3 and bottom 3 picks (although I thought Mondo got robbed for the win). My top picks to watch after season 1 were:

Mondo
Austin

Episode 2

This week on Project Runway, the designers were challenged by Bagdley and Mischka to create a couture-esq look worthy of attending the opera for $350 in just 24-hours. Let's take a look at the looks:

Safe

Jerell

Jerell actually made my least favorite look. In fact, I thought it was bottom worthy. On TV, the dress looked like a moo-moo and his model looked like she had pubic hair on her chest.

Kenley

Kenley's dressed looked more suited for a Barbie doll, rather than the opera (unless Barbie is going to the opera).

Mila

Bagdley and Mischka told the designers that they weren't really into black, so if the designers wanted to use black they would have to really wow the judges and sell them on the color. Well, Mila chose black anyway, and while her dress was nice, it was not a show stopper.

Mondo

Mondo's dress took on a space aged theme which would work if you're attending an opera set in a 1950s B-movie.

Gordana

I thought Gordana's dress was new, fashion forward, and different and I could totally picture it on the likes of Charlize Theron. I think with more time to work on the finishing, Gordana could have made top 3.

Rami

I liked Rami's bright pink color choice, but I wasn't a fan of his seams and points on the outside of his dress, which to me made the dress look unfinished.

Top

Anthony

I thought each of the top 3 designers did a wonderful job this week. I loved Anthony's dress with the leather gloves and thought it was pretty and sexy and red carpet worthy. I could defiantly picture it on the likes of Angelina Jolie and I love the pairing with that belt. Perhaps the judges didn't see this dress as opera appropriate, and Anthony was just safe.

Michael

I thought Michael's look was pure perfection and appeared to be the clear winner. When picking out fabric, Michael was pissed at April because he had wanted to make a gown in red, but opted for black when he saw that April had grabbed some red fabric first. I think Michael should be kissing April's butt, because this dress would not have been as stunning and Kim Kardashian worthy if it had been done in red. I believe the only strike the judges could have had against this dress is that the silhouette is reminiscent of other gowns you can find at a fancy dress store, so this week Michael was just safe.

Austin

At the beginning of this challenge, Joanna and the challengers all said that they expected great things from Austin this week. No pressure, Austin! Well, Austin delivered a pretty and modest old Hollywood gown which wowed the judges enough to give him the win.

Bottom

Kara

I thought Kara's gown was pretty and I liked the print, but I agreed with the judges when they said that the silhouette was too simple and the dress was a bit "junior prom". I'd even venture out to say that this dress could appear maternity. But, I was glad that Kara was safe this week.

April

April wanted to create a look that was inspired by Tim Burton's red queen from Alice in Wonderland. Now, when I think opera, I do not think of the red queen, and when I saw April attempting to ombre dye her dress during this 24-hour challenge, I knew she was headed for the bottom. The judges appreciated her interesting collar design, but commented that her dress looked tortured and was filled with amateurish mistakes. After this week's challenge, I'm worried about how long April will stick around, but this week she is safe.

Sweet Pea

Sweet Pea's dress could have been chopped off at the knee in order to make a cute and fun summery dress, but as an opera gown it looked like a long floral skirt attached to a bathing suit. Although I appreciate Sweet Pea's attitude and style, her opera gown did not meet the challenge expectations and she was sent home.

What do you think of Project Runway All Star thus far? Do you agree with the judges top and bottom picks? Are you excited for next week's episode with Miss Piggy? Let me know in the comments below.

Awards Season Fashions- People's Choice Awards and Golden Globes

2012-01-16T08:00:00.000-06:00

People's Choice Awards

Best

Jennifer Lawrence

I thought this dress was both fashionably unique and artistic. Love it!

Emma Stone

I love Emma's style and color choice. Very flattering.

Stana Katic

I thought Stana Katic looked stunning in this dress. Then again, with her body, Stana Katic would look stunning in any dress.

Worst

Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs

It looks like the stars of 2 Broke Girls were too broke to buy fancy dresses for the awards.

Lea Michele

Looks like Lea Michele borrowed one of the 2 mop dressed from the Project Runway All Star Dollar Store challenge.

Ashley Greene

Hey Ashley Greene! Britney Spears circa 2001 wants her Slave 4 U dress back.

Golden Globes

Best


Julie Bowen

Why hello there Betty Draper!


Rooney Mara

I'm kind of digging how Rooney Mara has really embraced the whole Girl with the Dragon Tattoo look.

Angelina Jolie

At first, I wasn't sure if I was into Angelina's "pop of red" dress, but now I love it.

Salma Hayek

Salma Hayek would look good in anything, and this dress is no exception.

Emma Stone

Emma Stone did it again! I love the color, cut and styling of this dress. I especially want to just rip that belt off of that dress and wear it with my jeans and t-shirt tomorrow.

Worst

Lea Michele

It appears that when the celebs all decided to go old Hollywood glam, Lea Michele interpreted that as 1980s Cher, Liza Minnelli and '80s Liz Taylor...not in a good way. I love Lea Michele on Glee but I think it's time that Lea hire a better stylist.

Connie Britton

Connie must have missed the Old Hollywood memo all together and appeared a bit too casual for the Globes.

Ewan McGregor, right, and Eve Mavrakis

Ewan McGregor looked handsome as always, but I don't know what's going on with his wife's outfit!? It appears that she came to the Globes wearing a fringed skirt suit and way too many accessories. Here's a tip for Mrs. McGregor for the Oscars- TONE IT DOWN!

Have you been keeping up with awards season? Who are your picks for best/worst dressed? What flicks are you going to rush out a see before the Oscars? Let me know in the comments below.

What I'm Listening To: The Gossip- Heavy Cross

2012-01-14T12:34:00.001-06:00

I stumbled across the music video for the Gossip's Heavy Cross video and it is awesome! Check it out!

12 in 2012

2012-01-09T08:00:00.000-06:00

I've seen many blogger's posting their new years resolutions/ things that they're looking forward to in the new year, so I thought I would give it a whirl.

Eat healthier. My job keeps me constantly on the go for anywhere from 4 to 10 hours a day, so typically my only breakroom is in my car. It's hard to remember to pack a lunch (or to eat lunch period) and often I find myself cruising the drive-thru lane between appointments. This year, I plan to purchase healthier food options at home and to pack my own, car travel friendly lunch more frequently.
Exercise more. In 2011 I became a calorie counter using an App for my smart phone, and I briefly began exercising regularly by attending a Zumba class and accompanying The Boy to the gym, but in recent months my exercising dwindled as my long work days began to conflict with Zumba and then I caught a nasty cold. This year, I'm hoping to exercise more by utilizing my Zumba 2 Wii game or accompanying The Boy to the gym a minimum of 3 days per week, and using my hand weights twice per week.
Earn my third work training certificate. I recently received two work training certificates for attending diversity trainings and professional development trainings and there's only one certificate left that I can earn without being a supervisor/manager...and I hope to obtain it by the end of 2012.
Make time for art. I feel like I make this resolution every year. This year I plan to schedule at least one day per week for me to work on my art (or knitting, crocheting, cross-stitching) projects.
Spend some quality time with The Boy. This year The Boy will ship off to Air Force bootcamp and technical school so I want to spend as much quality time as I can before he leaves.
Read. I love to read (especially before bed), but often by the time I reach the bed I'm too tired to pick up a book. I want to read more books in 2012.
Play more video games. This may seem silly, but until recently I haven't spent much time playing my video games on the PS3 and Wii. But recently I got really into Back to the Future the game and Lego Harry Potter and now I am a trophy addict. I also aim to spend more time with my game systems using Zumba 2.
Support local businesses. I love visiting local shops and eateries.
Knit. My ravelry to do list is out of control. This year I hope to whittle it down by knitting up some projects.
Go to the movies. The Oscar's will be here before I know it, and there are so many movies out in theaters that I've been wanting to see, but haven't yet (The Muppets, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Young Adult...just to name a few).
Take more outfit photos. I did not post very many outfit photos in 2011, namely because my outfits weren't spectacular or I didn't have a camera near by.
Give myself a break. I tend to be my own harshest critic on every level. This year I want to allow myself to relax, take a deep breath and breathe. I also hope to give myself kudos for all that I have accomplished.
Travel. In 2011 I took a fabulous trip with The Boy to St. Louis. I don't have any 2012 travel plans yet, but I hope that we'll have time to take another trip together in 2012.

Oops! That's 13 in 2012! Did you make any new years resolutions or a 12 in 2012? Let me know in the comments below.

What's Making Me Laugh: Downton Abbey Spoof

2012-01-08T08:00:00.000-06:00

Have you seen the PBS period drama Downton Abbey? Well, if not, what are you waiting for!? Season 1 is available on Netflix Watch it Now right now and season 2 kicks off on PBS tonight. I recently had a Downton Abbey marathon session and loved the show (especially Maggie Smith) and can't wait for season 2 to start! If you're already a fan of the show, check out the spoof videos above to quench your Downton Abbey appetite until the premiere.

What I'm Listening To: Somebody That I Used to Know by Walk Off the Earth

2012-01-07T18:32:00.000-06:00

I know that it wasn't that long ago that I shared the original version of this song by Gotye. Well, if you fell in love with that version as much as I did, then you are going to be amazed by this. Check out this version of "Somebody That I Used to Know" by Walk Off the Earth.

What I Wore: 12/26/11

2012-01-02T14:31:00.004-06:00

t-shirt: Threadless

red pants: Urban Outfitters

fleece jacket: Old Navy

Panda Domo sold separately

Twas the day after Christmas and throughout the day, Sarah was stirring on her vaca(tion). After Christmas I decided to bust out a comfy red and white combination outfit to demonstrate that I was still feeling festive while I enjoyed my day off from work. I wore another t-shirt by my favorite t-shirt company, Threadless (see this post for another Threadless tee). The shirt in this picture is called "Fake Pandas Have More Fun". I guess I was hoping that some of the fun happening in my t-shirt would wear off on me.

You can't see it in the photo, but I also painted my nails for Christmas. I purchased some OPI Muppet themed nail polish in "Fresh Frog of Bel Air" and painted all but my ring fingers with it, which I painted red. Since it's a glitter polish, it took several coats to give my fingers the glittery goodness that I wished to achieve, but so far this polish has lasted into the new year. I was hoping that this polish would inspire me to check out the new Muppet movie over the holiday, but The Boy and I have not been able to tear ourselves away from the Netflix yet, so don't spoil it for me.

Note: If you click the Threadless link and order a t-shirt, you will earn me Threadless Street team points (store credit) towards my future purchases.

What I'm Listening To: What Are You Doing New Years Eve? by Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt

2011-12-31T10:41:00.001-06:00

I thought that this cute little song raised a very pertinent question. What are you doing new years eve?

New Years marks the anniversary of when The Boy and I first got together. This year New Year's will mark our 5th year together. As for my plans, this year, like every year, The Boy and I will be playing the holiday by ear. We probably won't make it out of town, and we'll definably not be spending the day in NYC, but check back later and I'll let you know what went down.

Christmas Presents 2011

2011-12-26T16:35:00.001-06:00

I got some pretty great gifts this Christmas! Here's what I picked up:

Christmas Presents 2011 by chickface featuring gold jewelry

Zumba Fitness 2- Earlier this year, my residential club house offered free weekly Zumba classes, where me and my neighbors could work out to Zumba fitness DVDs and they totally kicked my butt. Now I'll be able to work out on my own when my crazy work schedule allows.
Kirby's Return to Dreamland- Kirby is one of my favorite video game characters. I loved Kirby's Epic Yarn and I am sure I am going to love Kirby's latest video game too.
Lucy & Laurel icicle necklace- My necklace is similar to the one pictured above. My grandma picked it out for me and it was one of the most beautiful necklaces I have ever seen.
House of Harlow 1960 Sunburst Earrings- I've been drooling over the sunburst design for a very long time. I already wore these out on Christmas Day and got tons of complements.
Pajamas- I got two sets of pajamas this year. A Tommy Hilfiger set similar to those pictured on the left, and a Nautica sleep shirt, and Croft and Barrow sleep pants. I may double up one sleep outfit as a winter work out outfit.

Not pictured: Victoria Secret Leather Buckle Sweater and red scarf, "coffee time" socks, Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People by Amy Sedaris, and Vinegar and Oil bottles.

Were you on Santa's nice list this year? What did you get for Christmas? Let me know in the comment's below.

Holiday Movies

2011-12-26T14:31:00.001-06:00

After Thanksgiving, the Boy and I decided to try and watch as many Christmas movies as possible between 11/24/11 and 12/25/11. Considering that we both have full-time jobs and conflicting work schedules, here's a list of the Christmas movies we watched in 2011:

Heidi
Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas
DreamWorks Holiday Classics
The Christmas Toy (1986)
Show Around the Corner
Prep and Landing
Prep and Landing 2
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Yes, Virginia
Ollie, The Chrsitmas Dog
A Christmas Carol (Jim Carrey)
He-man and She-Ra's Christmas Special
Elf
Bad Santa
The Dead
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Holiday Inn
Love Actually
Die Hard
The Bishop's Wife (1947)

We also watched several television Christmas specials:

"Curb Your Enthusiasm" Mary, Joseph and Larry (season 3)
"Twilight Zone" Night of the Meek (season 2)
"Alfred Hitchcock Presents" Santa Clause and the 10th Avenue Kid (season 1)
"Frasier" Perspectives on Christmas (season 5)
"3rd Rock from the Sun" Jolly Old St. Dick (season 2)
"Glee" (season 2 and 3)
"The New Girl" The 23rd (season 1)
"Community" Regional Holiday Music (season 3)
"SNL" Jimmy Fallon (2011)
"SNL" Christmas Past (season 16)
"Married with Children" The Worst Noel (season 8)

Did you watch tons of holiday movies to get yourself in the Christmas spirit? Have any recommendations? Let me know in the comments below.

What I'm Listening To: Christmas Music

2011-12-24T08:00:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas eve everyone (or happy holidays, whatever you prefer). I've been trying to get into the holiday spirit this weekend by listening to some holiday tunes. Here are my top 3 favorite new holiday tunes that I'm listening to this year.

She and Him- Baby, It's Cold Outside

Michael Buble- Santa Claus Is Coming to Town

Glee- (Rachel and Finn) Last Christmas

What songs are you listening to to get yourself in the holiday spirit? Let me know in the comments below.

What I Wore: 12/17/11

2011-12-22T08:00:00.000-06:00

Fox hat: Target

T-shirt: Threadless

Watch: Target

In case you were wondering what I typically wear on weekends, here you go. I love cute/funny t-shirts! I am a jeans and a t-shirt kind of girl at heart, but my workplace doesn't allow printed t-shirts to be visibly worn on the job, so I have to reserve most of my t-shirts for the weekend.

Do you have "weekend only" clothes in your closet? Let me know in the comments below.

Note: If you click the Threadless link and order a t-shirt, you will earn me Threadless Street team points (store credit) towards my future purchases.

Quick Knitted Gifts

2011-12-21T08:00:00.000-06:00

I'm still knitting away on my Cambridge shawl and hoping to get it finished in time for Christmas. Knitting the same pattern over and over again can get a bit monotonous and boring, so over the weekend I decided to take a break from the shawl and whip up 2 quick knit Christmas presents for some other very special relatives this year.

First, I knit up a Ribbed Watchman's Hat for a special soldier that I know who returned home from combat in one piece in 2010. I used about half of a skein of Lion Brand Wool-Ease Solid's and Heathers in Navy and cranked this baby out in just over a day (with frequent breaks). I tried to take a picture of me modeling the hat, but I found it difficult to take a good photograph of me and the hat while it was on my head. I can testify that it is very warm and cozy.

Next, I knit the Lyndhurst Cowl with 2 skeins of Lion Brand Amazing in Mesa for a "lady of the desert." The colors remind me of a desert sunset and the yarn is very soft and fluffy. I'm sure this lady will love it when the temperatures start to drop.

What I'm Listening To: Kina Grannis- In Your Arms

2011-12-17T14:29:00.000-06:00

Do you like jelly beans? Sure, we all do. Well, if you like jelly beans, you're going to like this music video that I stumbled on to because of it's brilliant use of jelly beans. Check it out!

What I Wore: 12/1/11

2011-12-13T08:00:00.000-06:00

Aka. The Power of the Scarf

hat: made by me

pink scarf: TJ Maxx

leopard shirt: Old Navy

black cardigan: JC Penny

olive cargo pants: Old Navy

black t-shirt: (unseen) Gap

I can't believe it's already December! 2011 has really flown by! Today, the Fab Find's Under $50 outfit inspiration calender called for a fun and flashy scarf, so I decided to pull out my pink pashmina scarf and pair it with a little leopard print.

By the way, if you follow the outfit inspiration calender, you might recognize someone in the outfit post for 12/14/11. It's me! You can check out my outfit post from 10/26/11 here for the details on that look.

11 Christmas Ales Ranked

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

You may recall that I recently shared that Paste Magazine had compiled a list of the Top 10 Winter Ales Ranked. Although to date, my experiences with Winter Ales had been less than favorable.

Well, shortly thereafter, Paste Magazine shared their picks for the top 11 Christmas Ales ranked. Here are Paste Magazine's picks for the top 11 Christmas Ales:

St. Bernardus Christmas
Corsendonk Christmas
Scaldis Noël
Mikkeller Santa’s Little Helper
Port Santa’s Little Helper (Bourbon-Barrel Aged)
Anchor Merry Christmas & Happy New Year
Bell’s Christmas Ale
Sweetwater Festive
Sierra Nevada Celebration
Lagunitas Sucks Holiday Ale Brown Shugga Substitute
Rogue Santa’s Private Reserve

Now, I'm not quite sure what the difference between a Winter Ale and a Christmas Ale is, after all, Christmas falls in the Winter time. I also don't know why Christmas and Halloween seem to be the only two holidays that exclusively get their own beers (Valentines, 4th of July or Kwanzaa beer anyone?). But I guess if beer suppliers are going to make a Christmas Ale, then I'm willing to try it.

This weekend a friend stopped by for a little beer sampling party/ Resident Evil deck building card game party (not my idea), and I had the opportunity to sample 2 Christmas Ale's, Shiner Holiday Cheer and Breckenridge Christmas Ale. The Shiner Holiday Cheer smelled like stinky old feet, but once I got past the smell I kind of enjoyed it's peachy flavor with subtle hints of pecan. The Breckenridge Christmas Ale was the better Christmas Ale, with pleasant hints of nutmeg.

We sampled other beer's too this weekend. Some highlights were the Gordon Biersch Czech Pilsner which was very light, Samuel Adam's The Vixen chili chocolate beer, and we sampled my final Schlafly Pumpkin Ale. I'm really going to miss that Schlafly Pumpkin Ale.

R.I.P Schlafly Pumpkin Ale

(until next fall)

Guest Post on Crafty Christmas Club

2011-12-12T07:59:00.000-06:00

Good Morning, everyone! I just wanted to let you know that I have a guest post today on Crafty Christmas Club where I am sharing what's on my knitting to-do list this Christmas. Check it out and let me know what you think.

What I'm Listening To: Gotye "Eyes Wide Open"

2011-12-10T08:00:00.000-06:00

Hey! I've still got Gotye playing in heavy rotation. So here's another song by Gotye that I think you should listen to, "Eyes Wide Open". Check it out!