new favorite: Greg Pattillo's piano & flute beatbox

new favorite: I wanna be this couple someday!

Be sure to watch all three videos of this sweet and talented couple of 63 years: Marlo and Fran Cowan - they are something else!

new favorite: copy cat, I mean bird...

cameras, car alarms, chainsaws = a romantic prelude??  only in the wild, those crazy animals!!!

new favorite: glowing walls

FOXNews.com - Will Glowing Walls Kill off the Light Bulb?

Updated December 30, 2009

Will Glowing Walls Kill off the Light Bulb?

London Times

Light-emitting wallpaper may begin to replace light bulbs from 2012, according to a government body that supports low-carbon technology.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/r00s/1438557021/

Light-emitting wallpaper may begin to replace light bulbs from 2012, according to a government body that supports low-carbon technology.

A chemical coating on the walls will illuminate all parts of the room with an even glow, which mimics sunlight and avoids the shadows and glare of conventional bulbs.

Although an electrical current will be used to stimulate the chemicals to produce light, the voltage will be very low and the walls will be safe to touch. Dimmer switches will control brightness, as with traditional lighting.

The Carbon Trust (a British group tasked with accelerating the switch to lower-carbon technologies) has awarded a $720,000 grant to Lomox, a Welsh company that is developing the organic light-emitting diode technology. The trust said it would be two and a half times more efficient than energy saving bulbs and could make a big contribution to meeting Britain's target of cutting carbon emissions by 34 per cent by 2020. Indoor lighting accounts for a sixth of total electricity use.

The chemical coating, which can be applied in the form of specially treated wallpaper or simply painted straight on to walls, can also be used for flat-screen televisions, computers and mobile phone displays.

As the system uses only between three and five volts, it can be powered by solar panels or batteries. Lomox, which will use the grant to prove the durability of the technology, believes it could be used in the first instance to illuminate road signs or barriers where there is no mains electricity.

For more information, read the full story at The London Times.

new favorite: ridiculously awesome biking

youtube's 2009 most memorable #23

new favorite: surprised kitty

youtube's 2009 most memorable #20

new favorite: mysteryguitarman

voted YouTube's 2009 most memorable vid

(I can name a few reasons why... hehe ;))

new favorites: youtube - makeup trends, tutorials, & reviews

I don't know WHY it took me so long to stumble upon YouTube for its vast wealth of homemade how-tos, but now that I've experienced it, I'm hooked. LOL :)

It started with my October search for the perfect 1940's look for a themed Gala I attended for our local Pacific Northwest University...(some of my favorite inspirations included Old Hollywood hair by Ford Model's Johnny Lavoy and this retro-style make up tutorial).

In my search for this look, though, I came across many, many, MANY, great make up artists (MUA's) with some fantastic tutorials and product review on their channels and vlogs. It's fair to say I'm now hooked on YouTube makeup. :)

Here are some of my new favorite YouTubers:

- pixiwoo

http://www.youtube.com/user/pixiwoo

(aka: http://www.fashionfacetv.com / http://pixiwoo.blogspot.com/)

These two, AMAZINGLY, talented (and gorgeous!) sisters - Sam & Nicola - consistently put out beautiful, artistic, make up tutorials, chock full of knowledge, British wit, and helpful product reviews! I only wish I had a smidge of their artistic talents! They have opened my eyes to the world of timeless & trendy make up beauty, as well as to fantastic products (top of the line and drugstore variety - and some only available in the UK: such as Illamasqua's Liquid Metal or Sleek Makeup's I-Divine palette in Graphite...

...which btw, if I happen to find either of these from you as a birthday present, I will love you forever and ever and ever [and may even kiss you!!] - I've been hot on the hunt for it ever since pixiwoo's Greyscale review!). I highly recommend starting here if you are interested in being inspired by the latest runway looks, creative design, or maybe just to listen to their awesome British accents. :)

- makeupbytiffanyd

http://www.youtube.com/user/MakeupByTiffanyD

(http://makeupbytiffanyd.blogspot.com/)

I find that Tiffany also provides consistently beautiful how-tos and products reviews. She has a great sense of humour, the longest eyelashes to envy, and very wearable looks (I just wish she'd do more dark lip colours for us brunettes!). Check out her "Basics" playlist - I learned a TON from those! I also credit her for introducing me to the NYX brand of cosmetics (which apparently is a step above the common drugstore lines, but yet has super reasonable prices). I have a yet to try any, but the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk is one that Tiffany often uses as a base for her eyeshadows (gives 'em something to stick to on the lid), and is definitely on my "list" to try - looks like it retails for about $3.50. Not bad, eh?

- enkoremakeup

http://www.youtube.com/user/EnKoreMakeup

(http://enkoremakeuponline.com/Beauty/Home.html)

Koren (and sometimes his alter ego Korinne!) provide THE GO-TO channel for any product review, demo, and DIY info on make up that you could possibly need. I have learned so much from his brush reviews, how to depot your eyeshadows, brand comparisons, etc. He is a wealth of knowledge and talent! (And I envy his make up collection!!) If ever I'm not sure about something (shading, contouring, even colour 101), he's my first stop on the internet for getting up to speed. Thanks to Koren's review of artist brush dups of MAC models, for example, I was able to hit up Michael's for their Loew Cornell Maxine Mop brushes to fill a void in my eye makeup collection...at 40% off, they were about $3 a pop. Pretty nice vs. $30 a pop! :)

- emilynoel83

http://www.youtube.com/user/emilynoel83

(http://beautybroadcast.blogspot.com/)

By morning Emily is a news show anchor for her local network, but during the rest of her day she (and occasionally her husband Tyler, who makes guest appearances!) runs her Beauty Channel on YouTube. She was the one who first introduced me to the ever-popular Coastal Scents line of cosmetics, most specifically the 88-palettes, which many YouTubers claims is quite comparable to MAC. (I've yet to try it myself, but the warm/neutral 88-palette is definitely on my list of makeup I'd like to try someday! The same palettes are also available here: BHCosmetics.)

Her vlogs focus on reviewing affordable makeup (often drugstore brands) that deliver high reward for the price. For instance, before spending a small fortune on primers, be sure to take a look at her massive eye shadow primer review! So I like to watch her and then read the Sunday papers for the next buy one get one sales at Walgreens. :)

So as you can probably guess, you will probably be seeing a bit of a theme from me in my upcoming posts: fashion & beauty! I plan to do at least a nail polish and a lipstick post, as soon as I find my camera that is.

I'm curious for your guys' feedback! Have you discovered a website or YouTube channel that inspires your fashion and beauty?? Comment about it! I'd love to hear from you. :)

new favorite: kappa danielson (youtube artist)

new favorite: Barbara Padilla

America's Got Talent: Barbara Padilla's Performance

new favorite: Kings

Anyone else into this new show, too?? With the House season over, I really wasn't finding anything else to watch on hulu...until I stumbled onto this series. The first couple episodes the acting was tough to get through (not to mention the loosely written story-line in terms of the corresponding Biblical story), but six shows in now, I'm hooked. (I think I'm a sucker for the romance & political wars!!)

new (old) favorite: stickers!

Did you collect stickers when you were a kid?  I did.  I still have BINDERS full of them somewhere.  I don't think I've ever really gotten over my thing for 'em, either...'cuz something in me always goes "ooooooh! stickers!!!" any time I see some (as if me STILL HAVING my sticker collection around somewhere isn't sad enough.)  So of course I must tell you about this website I stumbled on, where you can design your own sticker booklet...so very cool!

oooooohhh!!!  stickers!!!!

i love texans

so I'm not a big fan of ellen's show, but I must say Gladys is my new favorite texan!

cat litter canundrum: help me pick a new favorite!!

Ok, so I've officially about had it up to *there* with cat litters.

Yesterday I tidied up the guest bath (which doubles as my kitties' bath as well) for a visit from my brother + 2 guests.  You know what took the longest to clean?  It wasn't the dreaded awkward corner shower.  No; it was the remains of kitty-litter with charcoal additives, combined with moisture from a damp bath, stuck & smeared in tight corners on the floor.

How's that for an image?

Yeah, not so great - I'll be the first to admit!  (Don't worry - lest you begin to question your next visit to me, I sanitize EVERYTHING...multiple times.  You should really be worrying about my cleaning OCPD instead, but that's a whole 'nuther blog post...)  

My problem today is finding my dream cat litter.  

Alright - all my friends with cats who've told me I should try Fresh Step Multi-Cat because it's your absolute favorite and you won't switch to anything else, plug your ears...

I hate this litter.  Well, love hate.  It does a pretty nice job of covering odors, isn't very dusty, and clumps at the faintest hint of moisture.  BUT!  It's way tedious to clean up and tracks EVERYWHERE...and the moment it encounters a tiny bit of moisture - it sticks and is such a pain to get up.  And it hasn't been for a lack of trying different litter-mats for Dallas & Bear to walk over on their way out of the box, either.  Given what it does to my floors, I'm also feeling very concerned about what it must be doing in my kitties' GI systems, after they unstick it off their paws...ick!  And I hear the stuff just sits in landfills, taking forever to decompose.

So I'm planning to switch back to what I used to use for my next box of litter (which is likely this weekend), unless you guys can help me with any other options?

I started Bear & Dallas out on Swheat Scoop and Word's Best Cat Litter.  Both are made of biodegradable natural products (wheat and corn, respectively) that aren't harmful if ingested and are much easier on the environment.  Both get the job done in the clumping /absorbing department (plus are flushable instead of scooping into a garbage bag!).  They are much dustier, though (which is extremely noticable on a solid black cat after it finishes covering its business).  The amount of tracking seems about the same, but is more manageable because it doesn't include charcoal and doesn't glue to the floor as horribly.  Also the smell of the litter can remind me of grain silos at times...and I REALLY don't recommend dumping baking soda in the box to try to remedy the smell issue, based on personal experience.  lol  Talk about a DUST problem!!

So even they don't leave me a 100% happy housecleaner or kitty mom.

Do you swear by a particular litter?  If so, please help me pick a new favorite by dropping me a line or two!

new favorite: toothpaste & mouthwash

I used to be a dyed-in-the-wool Crest girl.

But for the past two years I have been on the search for a toothpaste that doesn't leave my mouth full of 'stringy' white pieces.  (If you've ever had this happen, you know exactly what I'm talking about!)  My dentist says it's caused by the tartar control agents in the toothpaste making the skin slough off (ewww!) and to use toothpaste that contains less of those tartar ingredients.

So I've gone through several different varieties, in search of the perfect toothpaste.  Everything from Colgate to Sensodyne to natural/organic kinds from places like Mother's Market and Whole Foods, all in a vain attempt to find something that doesn't give me such a gross mouth!  Of everything I've tried (up until last night), my favorite's been Nature's Gate Creme de Anise:



But I would still get 'the stringies.'  :(

BUT! after trying a sample from my latest trip to the dentist, I'm hooked on a different brand:  Biotene!!

I used it for the first time last night, and not only are all the stringies completely gone, but I woke up WITHOUT morning breath!!  (And here I thought morning breath was a given in life?!?!)



I found the full sizes at Target, so I'm sure most any place (Walgreens, CVS, Bartell's, etc.) would carry it.

Seems the product contains enzymes, in place of the usual tartar ingredients, that get rid of the SOURCE of tartar:  bad bacteria.  Also, the mouthwash doesn't contain any alcohol (an ingredient which has now been linked to oral cancer).  It is so much more tolerable to gargle than Listerene or Scope...not to mention seems to do SUCH a better job and leaves my mouth feeling clean and fresh!!

I give Biotene five stars on the first night.  I'll keep you posted after a solid week!

new favorite: grocery deals

Back in September (Hunger Action Month, and back when I had a job), I read an article that made me pause for a moment to think & feel...and then (arrogantly) decided I had done my gracious thinking moment for the day, felt socially conscious, and conveniently moved on with life and kinda forget about it.  

Until I lost my job.  

And then it's interesting how life gives you a new perspective and appreciation on things.

I learned through the article that SNAP recepients receive about $25/wk in food coupons...about $3.50 a day.  And in September, people were accepting the challenge of retooling their diets & grocery budgets to live off of $25/wk themselves, by choice.

So with no cash coming through the door right now (other than unemployment income - and man that first check takes a while to arrive...), I'm on a mission to stretch my dollars to the max.  

My latest goal:  to eat healthy, well-balanced meals...on $25/wk.  

I'm learning that getting acquainted with the who, what, where's of deal shopping takes TIME!!  Some moments I'm not sure of the cost-benefit of sifting through coupons, burning gas in driving around, and pawing through junky clearance racks is worth it.  But now that I'm finding where the consistent deals are located, it's getting quicker/easier to duck in, grab, and go.

Some of my new favorite grocery deals have been a bit unexpected, and it's becoming a bit of a game for me to see where I can find even better deals.  I'd love to hear from you if you have ideas!  Here are some finds that left me yelling "score!!" on my quest to fix meals off of $25/wk...

-  The bakery clearance section, tucked far back in the rear of the grocery store:  here I find my favorite pumpernickle dark bread, made with whole grains and no preservatives, as well as some other wholesome semi-fresh baked goods.  I can usually find a loaf of bread for $0.50.  Grab a couple extra for the freezer, and I bolt to the register like I'm heading for the end-zone before someone tackles me to steal my bargains!  Sometimes the loaves are not sliced, though.  So I find that if I smile nicely at the bakery boys on the way to the registers, they'll do a nice job of slicing it for me - for free.  :)

-  The wine aisle, during sale week:  sadly, this and chocolate fall into my "splurge" category in my revamped grocery budget.  But I've managed to pick up a few (albeit undrinkable) deals for cooking.  For instance, the red wine in my spaghetti sauce, that added the nice depth of flavour?  I picked that up for $1.75/bottle.  (Don't groan & moan, Shawn - I KNOW what you're thinking!!  Desperate times call for desperate measures.  LOL)

-  The dollar store:  this shocked me, and is one of my favorite surprises.  Next to the best-priced Chevron in the area for gas ($2.41 yesterday) sits a large dollar store...with a grocery section.  Yesterday, for a dollar each, I made off with:  a gorgeous head of dark green lettuce, over a pound of carrots, a carton of mushrooms, a bag of eight (count 'em: EIGHT!!!) kiwis!!  Four bucks.  Totally stoked.  :)  I can remember kiwis back home going for $1-$2, EACH!!!  The dollar store also has cartons of peppers that look gorgeous.  I still have 2 red ones I need to finish off first, but I'm definitely heading back for more.

I haven't taken tally yet on where I'm at on making my food budget for the month, but I think I'm pretty close.  Might be a little over (I've caved and bought some frozen yogurt and a few other goodies on sale), but all-in-all, not bad.

new favorite: Fields of Gold - Sungha Jung

old favorite: folk music on a quiet evening

love this

new favorites: my kittens!!

yes, that's right - I adopted kittens!!! two precious little brother and sister kittens who have been a ball to watch play with each other, and have definitely been keeping me company...

Their favorite game right now is one of "surprise attack." They chase each other around until they are so tired they can't keep their eyes open. It's absolutely adorable. They fit just perfect in my cupped hands and are so soft.

The girl is really fuzzy with shaggy hair around her ears, and is definitely the more adventuresome of the two. The boy has a cute little while patch on his chest, and is really timid. He squeaks out a meow whenever he can't see his sister, and curls up with her at night. :)

I'm working on naming them this week...hopefully something will come to me soon; I hope they don't start thinking their names are "hi guys" LOL :)

I'll post more videos soon!

(boy laying down, sister standing over him)