Author: Tanie

I’ve mentioned here recently that I’ve been in a rut, a slump, a funk, whatever. I’ve been feeling very :/ about a lot of things, and one of them is this blog. I’m sick of my posts! I’m sick of my pictures! I’m sick of thinking up titles! But most of all, I’m (was) sick of the layout, so last night I steeled myself for a huge hassle and changed it.

It’s not one hundred percent perfectly how I want it, but it’s pretty close! I think it’s a lot cleaner looking than the old layout, which is definitely what I was going for. I’d love to hear any thoughts or feedback you guys might have about it, and as a thank you here’s a Georgie for your troubles.

Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway to win the golden mini bunting necklace from Little Pancakes! I’ve selected the winner using Random.org‘s random number generator, and that winner is…

April from So Yeah… So! Congratulations April! I’ll be giving your email to Melissa so she can contact you for your mailing address.

Thanks again everyone who entered, you are all winners in my book ^___^

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I was planning on making some Halloween glitter banners, and here they are!

I’ve never had orange glitter before and it is a pain & a half so it’s available in VERY limited quantities!

The purple bats have acid green paper on the reverse.

I think these little ghosts are so cute!

This black glitter banner has bright red paper on the reverse.

You can find these all in my etsy shop; click on the pictures to go directly to each listing. Also don’t forget to “like” the Unicorn Parade Shop on facebook!

I have the worst luck with the gym. Every time I say I’m going to start going again, I go once and then suffer some calamitous event. I throw my back out and can barely walk, or I get strep throat, or I fall down the stairs at the gym when leaving after my workout and sprain my ankle. Every time I lose all my gym momentum and it’s months before I go back again- just to suffer a new setback.

Well. In August Taylor spent a lot of time talking about how he wanted to start going to the gym again, so I decided it would be supportive and helpful if I went too. Labour Day weekend I strapped my running shoes on for the first time in months and hit up Fitness World for some treadmill time. Aaaaaaaaaaand my shoes (pictured above), my beloved foot clouds, which are neither too old or too new, gave me huge horrible blisters, one of which popped and seeped and oozed and got horribly infected. WHAT THE HECK. It’s been really painful and gross, but it’s finally almost better. Just in time too; I think the weather is about to turn and I won’t be able to wear my flip-flops anymore (my feet are like Regina George on Kal-teen bars” flip-flops are all that fit me right now).

Hopefully I be able to re-restart going back to the gym this weekend, so please stay tuned for my next disaster.

In semi-related gym news, Taylor went yesterday morning and there was an older man running full-tilt on the treadmill while watchign full-on hardcore porn on his iPad. PEOPLE THESE DAYS idek.

Katy Perry for OPI Not Like the Movies

This colour is kind of boring. I was planning on putting different top coats and glitters over it but I started painting pretty late in the evening and after three coats of this I was ready for Seche Vite and bed.

This summer I did a Sailor Moon-themed craft swap with Rhiannon and this week I got my package from her!

A hand-embroidered Sailor Jupiter totebag, Luna necklace and little moon earrings! So cute. And the totebag is UH MY ZING. Just look at this sweet embroidery!

Sailor Jupiter is my favourite ^___^

I also got a star-shaped lollipop but Sym confiscated that pretty quickly.

In case you missed it, you can see what I made for Rhiannon here.

Good morning everyone, I have a super fun post for you today! I’m teaming up with my friend Melissa to do a fantastic giveaway.

Melissa has an Etsy shop, Little Pancakes, where she sells absolutely adorable and affordable jewelry pieces.

I love all her stuff so much, but of course you all know there’s nothing I love more than a little bunting ^___^

In this giveaway you have the chance to win this completely wonderful gold bunting necklace. So cute! This necklace is 20 inches long and features five golden triangles on a raw brass chain.

There are three ways to enter:
1. “Like” Little Pancakes on facebook
2. Add the Little Pancakes shop to your Etsy favorites or your circle.
3. Tweet about the giveaway! Sample tweet: “I entered to win a golden bunting necklace via Little Pancakes http://etsy.me/hkOw1Z and Unicorn Parade http://wp.me/pqURz-Y1”

Leave a SEPARATE comment on this post for each entry, telling me you’ve liked/added/tweeted (be sure to include a link to your tweet). The giveaway will run until midnight PST next Thursday, September 15th. Good luck everyone!

OMG I AM THE WORST AT MAKING THESE POSTS. The last one was weeks ago, oops. I’ve just been in a big cooking slump, actually tbh I’ve been in a blogging/living/everything slump but I’m trying to pull myself out.

Breakfasts

Saturday, August 22nd

cinnamon toast and an americano

Lunches

Saturday, August 22nd

goat cheese, Monterey Jill cheese, tomatoes & cucumber on rye

Dinners

Friday, August 19th

corn on the cob, purple mashed potatoes and a failed meatless meatloaf

Monday, August 22nd

garden salad, garlic toast and fettucine primavera from Cafe Luxy

Wednesday, September 7th

rotini pasta with cherry tomatoes, goat cheese, and parmesan cheese

Snacks & Desserts

Saturday, August 27th

fresh-cut salsa and blue corn tortilla chips

Tuesday, August 30th

chili lime roasted chick peas, based on this recipe from Oh She Glows. I substituted a 2:1 mix of water & lime juice for the vinegar and a mix of chili powder, paprika and cayenne pepper for the salt, and roasted them for only 32 minutes. They were so good I ate all of them. ALL OF THEM O___O

Wednesday, September 7th

brownie sundae with vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, chocolate sprinkles and a chocolate maraschino cherry

Out of all the annoying things in my apartment, one of the most annoying was the kitchen island. The top had an overhang so it’s like you should be able to sit at it, but the overhang was so shallow that it was impossible and/or uncomfortable for anyone over, say, 4’7″. Since I’m 5’9″ and Taylor is 6’4″, it was pretty much unacceptable!

I’d been trying to come up with a cost-effective solution for this problem for a while, and a few weeks back I bought the stools pictured above so it was really time to get to it! On Sunday Taylor and I made a trip to Ikea and I picked up three $9 Vika Amon desk tops. A little time with a cordless drill and a screwdriver and voila!

I stupidly didn’t take a proper “before” picture but the old counter was about 75 x 145cm, and the new one is 100 x 180cm. SO MUCH SURFACE AREA I CAN’T HANDLE IT OMG. I’m planning on putting clear vinyl over it for protection and putting a couple brackets for extra support but all in all I’m pretty thrilled with how it turned out!

Some other weekend stuff:

My friend Mandy sent me green (lime), blue (wildberry) and purplish-brown (chocolate) maraschino cherries and Taylor and I tried some of them in drinks this weekend. He had rum & pineapple juice with a blue cherry and I had gin, St Germain, Rose’s lime cordial and club soda with a green one. To be honest I don’t actually like maraschino cherries so I gave mine to Taylor to eat. They look cool though!

A few months ago I bought Sym a Re-ment Little Twin Starsblind box toy and she became OBSESSED. I rarely go to the store here that carries them but I happened to be in the neighborhood this weekend so I bought her a couple more and she made this little world for them.

Today was the first “day” of school, but there’s no classes; the kids just get their attendance taken so the school can figure out the enrolment. I’m back to work after a lovely long weekend, I’m not super excited about it but OH WELL.

At least there’s pets.

One day I’ll stop being gross and posting pictures of my toes on my blog. LOL NO I WON’T. Also my cuticles are a hot mess right now. Basically ALL OF ME is a hot mess, but what are you gonna do?

on fingers: Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Eelskin + Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Set the Stage; on toes: Sally Hansen Salon in Golden Nights + Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Set the Stage