The Girl Who Played With Fire

Hey, you! Yes, you! Check out this trailer for the upcoming movie "The Hunger Games". Almost always the movie isn't as good as the book (Percy Jackson, anyone?), but that doesn't mean that every Hunger Games fan won't be sticking to movie theater floors everywhere in march to see the movie spinoff:

Still not convinced? Fine.

Katniss...

Katniss and Gale...

Peeta...

Did I mention Peeta?

May The Odds Ever Be In Your Favor (And read the books first!),
-Hannah

DIY Projects of the Week

Here are just a few of my favorite DIY (Stands for DO IT YOURSELF, GOSH!) tutorials and projects floating around the internet that you should know about this week. By the way, when i say craft, that doesn't mean a jumble of Popsicle sticks and Elmer's glue.Crafting is so much more.

Some are harder than others, a few are easy enough for the least-creative minded person to do. Also, don't forget Halloween is coming up!

1. Tattoo Tights

This is a simple photograph DIY I found on Instructables.com that is similar to the fake tattoo sleeves people have been wearing lately. Simple, cheap, and will scare your mother spitless. 

Go Here to See the DIY

2.Pie On a Stick. Need I say More?

Make these in abundance and give them to me. You know you want to. 

Stick That Pie Here

3. Sign My Shirt?

So simple, very homeschool chic. Forget jean skirts and prairie blouses, this is the season's homschooler vogue look of Fall. 

Draw the Line Here

This is me waiting for all the tabs to finish buffering...

4. Glitter EVERYTHING 

  

All you need is some crafty glue, glitter, and a pair of boring heels. Oh, and fumigated drying area. The glitter hallucinations aren't purty.

Bling Your Heels (Or...man shoes?) Here

5.Yes. That is a Face on my Plate.

You might have seen these novelty plates at places like Fred and Friends but all you need is a porcelian marker like the one in this tutorial and you can make your own designs and gifts. You can try drawing and tempering  your plate in the oven after using a sharpie but the paint will wear off after a few good washes. 

Get Doodling Here

Note: You aren't limited to plates! Cups, mugs, bowls, trays, whatever. Here is some inspiration:

                             

Now, go forth and craft!

Hannah

Would You Like Some Stress With Your Toast?

I'm ecstatically, expectantly happy right now, but preparing for an international trip isn't a picnic (American or British). The itinerary, the fundraising, the stacks of overdue travel books from the library; the PACKING; there are so many things to do. Yet, so few. So, personally, whats the hardest part of preparing for an international trip for me? The waiting. 

And waiting. And waiting. About a month before the date of departure you start counting off the days until the Final Seven Days when the hours seem to ooze by like snail in a molasses puddle. In slo-mo. Even with having to prepare for finals as well i'm still in a perpetual state of patience. Stress is released from the waiting humanoids then gathers and condenses in the house until its so palpable you could cut with a butter knife and serve it with tea. My stomach starts to revolt on about Day 4 of the countdown and my stomach juices are swishing around in flushed traveler's anticipation (which doesn't feel all that great, let me tell you.) My muscles start to tense up, my eyebrows furrow. Oh, let Tuesday come already!

The good news is that all of the stress buildup, the waiting, simply melts away in blessed relief on Day 1: Departure. Suddenly my tummy will be happy again, my shoulders will be movable again, and i'll be packed and completely ready to leave. Actually getting on the Megabus that will eventually lead to England will be like a shot of adrenaline. 

Until that moment, i'm going to have to stick to my usual methods of relaxation: drinking loads of cool bevreges, listening to my favorite music, and asking my little sisters for a deep-tissue massage (aka just laying on the floor and having them run and jump all over my back). Oh, and sating my travel appetite by reading the pretty prose of travel books.

On a happier note, my Mom has devised a way to cheat pickpockets and sketchy characters on the trip. Instead of stuffing all the passports, money, and emergency info for the students into a purse she is planning to pack it into a bum pack, wear it under her shirt and jacket, and claim pregnancy. She has enough practice. I'm hoping to take advantage of the situation and get nice treatment at eateries, theatre performances, etc. Maybe i should pose as pregnant! A pillow or two and I could get special treatment everywhere I went. Or...maybe not. I'm already assumed the teenage mother of my sisters more often than i'd like, I don't need to start a Day Care. 

Jet-Setting Jabber,

-Hannah