Jazzed up votive candle holders

This is a bit of a side thing, but I want to put candles on the tables in our backyard for the wedding and dinner/hanging out. And maybe also inside. But I think most glass candle holders are kind of boring and lame. So I scoured the internetz and found some interesting ideas! So I splurged on an unnecessary Martha Stewart purchase and bought this thing that punches out a sweet little lacey design out of paper (can't remember what they're called off the top of my head). So I cut out this pattern on one side of some vellum paper (semi-transparent paper):

Honestly, it's so unnecessary but SO SWEET! Okay, so cut it to an appropriate length for the glass container you will use it on. I have only tested this method on non-curved surface so try that at your own risk. Put two strips of ZIPS right next to each other and press the ends of the strip of punched vellum. It looks like:


It's hard to get the edges to line up nicely so be careful. I put in a little tea light and had it lit for about an hour to see how the adhesive would handle the heat. It was fine and seemed pretty unaffected by the heat. Here's a picture of the end result. I'm going to try to do a few more vellum things with the candle holders (maybe some stamped initials or something), but that's for another day:


I just love the softness of the light coming through the vellum paper. It's exactly what I hoped it would look like!

Q-tip holders

Today, I'm going to outline how I made the little Q-tip holders for the survival kit (inspiration from a blogger over at WeddingBee). These are totally unnecessary as they do make travel-size Q-tip holders. Unfortunately, the containers are not cute and I won't be able to impose my own colors on them. So without further ado, here is a rough outline of how to make them.

First place however many Q-tips you want to have side by side on the paper (I used 8, I think). Outline the shape of the "envelope" with pencil. Note that the dotted lines are where I will be scoring the paper to make it easier to fold:


Next draw the sides, bottom, and top fold around the base:


Sorry it's hard to see. I don't have any pictures for the next few steps, but it is pretty straightforward and requires only a little guess and check. So next you cut out the whole shape of the envelope and score the dotted lines so that the flaps are easier to fold. Be very gentle when scoring because you don't want the paper to split as you fold it. Next cut a little slit in the bottom flap where the top flap will tuck in once it's all put together. Next put two strips of ZIPS on the two side flaps so that the bottom flap will fold over them and stay secure. This is the result:


Next I created little labels so that people would know what's in the envelopes for convenience:


The finished result is:


Woohoo! That wasn't so bad and the result is pretty cute!

Day ??

Here's my food and exercise break-down:

0800

• Smart Ones bfast sandwich
• Coffee as usual
• Cranberry juice as usual

1100

• Babybel light cheese wheel

1200

• PB&J
• Chips & guacamole
• water

1530

• C25K Week 3 Day 2 (went well - blisters are not going great but leg feels fantastic)

1730

• Small dish of cantaloupe
• a few servings of baked organic sweet and spicy sweet potato fries
• mayo + sriracha sauce
• water (great dinner huh)

1830

• tall sweetened iced coffee with soy milk from Starbucks
  

Wedding gift "survival kit" part I

So I'm making a more extended version of wedding favors since we are having so few people at our wedding. Included in the gifts will be a "survival kit" with stuff that people always forget when the travel, e.g. Q-tips. So I'm DIY-ing the kit and making little holders for all the stuff that is sold in larger containers that aren't easily split up (Q-tips, bobby pins, blotting sheets). So today I'm going to outline how I made the bobby pin holders. So here's a pic of the paper I picked out at Michael's for the various things for "the survival kit":


I took the paper and cut out two pieces that looked like a good size to hold bobby pins (exact dimensions were 3" by 2.5"). Then I cut a slit in one of the pieces with an Exacto knife (where the bobby pins go). I also cut 3 or 4 cm worth of ribbon. The supplies at this point look like this, noting that the green piece is just the flower side turned over:


Attach each side of ribbon to one piece of paper with ZIPS (super awesome adhesive that is way neater and more effective than glue):


Then attach strips of ZIPS along the outer edges of the pieces of paper:


Then stick 'em together and you get (front and back):



And repeat nine times...


And a preview for next time...Q-tip holders:


Price breakdown:

• pack of bobby pins: $2.49
• ribbon spool: $1.00 (used less than 1/4 of it)
  
• ZIPS: $5.99 (used less than 1/4 of it)
• 4 sheets of scrapbooking paper: $0.99 each

Total price: $5.24
Unit price: $0.52

Today I ate,

0800
Slimfast (cappuccino)

1230
Thai 99: red curry with chicken and a thai iced tea ooooof

1830
PB&J from my packed lunch
Guacamole with chips
Babybel light cheese wheel
water

Worked on some more wedding stuff. I'll post that later.

Day...?

Oops! I got off-track with this blog thing. I'm going to change up the format of my entries to include exercise for the day and reading too! Also toying with the idea of posting DIY stuff for the wedding and the house, but I can't promise anything at this point :).

Some updates: Casey and I have started the C25K plan and are planning on running a 5k this summer! I'm really excited about it. So far we've passed the first two weeks with flying colors. Today we're starting week 3. I'm also planning on starting up the 100 pushups challenge again to do on C25K off days. So that will be included in here too.


Today I've eaten,

0800

• 1 Smart Ones breakfast sandwich
• Coffee as usual
• Cranberry juice as usual

1100

• Babybel Light Cheese wheel (YUM!)
• water throughout the morning
  

1200

• PB&J
• 1 lame-o serving size of Tabasco Cheez-its (ughhh processed...)
• water

1645

• smoothie inspired by Casey: strawberries, blueberries, half a pear, greek yogurt, splash of Silk almond milk, some ice, handful of spinach (it was SO GOOD and even Nate loved it)

1830

• Philly cheese steak Lean Cuisine
• Water
• 1/3 cup of guacamole (avocado, lemon juice, half small white onion, half roma tomato, salt, pepper)
• Handful of Garden of Eatin' all natural, no salt added organic Blue Chips OM NOM

Water throughout the rest of the night


I ran C25K week 3 day 1 today and felt good. I counted the number of each leg's footfalls for 20 seconds. Andrea (big runner and fitness buff) told me that 30 footfalls is the ideal, I counted 27 for each so I guess I have a little bit of work to do.

Day 18

Today I ate:

0915

• 1 piece of toast with peanut butter
• Coffee

1230

• ~1 1/2 cup of pasta from two nights ago
• 2 Tbsp guacamole
• 10 guacamole chips
• Little piece of Dr. Pepper cake (all gone now...)
• Water
  

1330

• Mini 3 Musketeers bar

1700

• ~1 cup Dr. Pepper
• ~1 1/2 Tbsp guacamole with less than a serving of guacamole chips
  

Day 17

Today I ate...

0815

• Coffee
• 2 pieces of toast with whipped cream cheese

1200

• ~2 cups of pasta from last night
• Water
• Little piece of Dr. Pepper cake

1500

• < 1 cup of Dr. Pepper
  

1800

• Burning Love burger at Red Robin....oh mannnn
• French fries with Red Robin seasoning
• 2 unsweetened iced teas

2130

• ~1/6 pint of Ben & Jerry's DMB ice cream
  

Day 16

Today I ate...

0830

• Coffee
• Smart Ones breakfast sandwich

1200

• PB&J sandwich
• ~2 Tbsp guacamole
• 10 organic guacamole chips
• Water
• Small piece of Dr. Pepper cake om nom nom

1450

• ~1 cup of Dr. Pepper...having this in my fridge is bad, bad, bad

1800

• ~2 cups of pasta with goat cheese
• Water

2000

• 3 Thin Mints
• ~1/2 cup Dr. Pepper

Day 15

Today I ate:

0800

• Coffee
• Smart Ones breakfast sandwich (egg, Canadian bacon, cheese)

1230

• ~2 cups (maybe a little less) Brazilian shrimp soup
• ~2 Tbsp guacamole with guacamole chips
• Water

1530

• ~1 cup Dr. Pepper oof

1730

• 2 pieces of toast with goat cheese and spinach
• small piece of DR. PEPPER CAKE

Water randomly throughout the day...

Day 14

Today I've eaten:

0900

• 2 pieces of toast with whipped cream cheese
• Coffee (as usual)
• Cranberry juice (as usual)

1215

• 1 1/2 cups Brazilian shrimp soup
• 2 Thin Mints
• Water

1530

• Maybe ~10oz of red grapes

1800

• 2 pieces od peanut butter toast
• 3 Thin Mints

2000

• ~3 Tbsp guacamole with 10 guacamole tortilla chips

No soda today :)

Day 13

Today I ate:

1000

• 2 pieces of baked brown sugar bacon
• 1 piece of toast with some butter
• 1 egg overeasy
• Coffee (as usual)

1330

• Bowl of Brazilian shrimp soup (easily the most delicious and most simple recipe I've found on a food blog)
  
• Dr Pepper :-(

Half a soda through the afternoon :-(

1800

• 3 Taquitos
• Handful of Tostitos with peach salsa
• Water
• Maybe a 1/6 of a pint of DMB magic brownies Ben & Jerry's ice cream

Too much soda today :-(

Day 12

Today I ate:

0900

• 2 pieces of peanut butter toast
• Coffee (as usual)

1200

• Chipotle burrito ooooof
• Handful of way too salty chips with salsa
• 2 Mr Pibbs booooo

1800

• 2 pieces of peanut butter toast
• Water
  

Day 11

Today I ate (fuzzy memory):

830

• Coffee (as usual)
• Cranberry juice (as usual)
• 2 pieces of toast with peanut butter

1230

• Two sweet and sticky chicken tenders leftover from last night
  
• About half a cup of saffron rice
• Water

1900

• Spaghetti with alfredo sauce...not that great
• Water
• Thin Mints
  

Day 10

Today I ate...

1000

• Small cup of iced coffee with a splash of Silk and a few tsps of simple syrup
• Small glass of unsweetened cranberry juice
• 2 pieces of Midlothian toast with peanut butter and whipped cream cheese

1330

• Grilled cheese (same one as from a few days ago)
• Two servings of sweet potato fries (with mayo and sriracha sauce)
• Water

1500

• Two Thin Mints

1800

• Three sweet and sticky chicken tenders (Russian dressing, apricot dressing, Lipton onion soup mix)
• About half a cup of saffron rice
• ~8oz green beans
• Water

Lots and lots of water! No soda!

Day 9

Today I ate...


0900

• Small cup of iced coffee with a splash of Silk and a few tsps of simple syrup
• Small glass of unsweetened cranberry juice
• Smart Ones breakfast sandwich (egg, Canadian bacon, cheese)

1200

• Water
• PB&J sandwich with that amazing bread from Midlothian, VA
• ~8 oz grapes
• Serving of (20) mini pretzels (I was going to pack some mustard, but I forgot)

1450

• Oikos honey greek yogurt (5.3 oz to-go container)
• Granola and strawberries mixed in

1800

• 2 pieces of pizza
• Water
  

Day 8

Today I ate...

0900

• Two slices of toast with peanut butter
• Water

1230

• Chik-fil-A grilled chicken sandwich (I added two packets of mustard)
• Chik-fil-A waffle fries (as you can see I was NOT good about french fries this vacation)
• Two Diet Dr. Peppers

1700

• About half a sleeve of Thin Mints...oh my god...it hurts to write this down
• 6 or 7 Hershey kisses...oh no...
  

1900

• Lean Cuisine personal BBQ pizza
• Water
  

No cavities at the dentist today! Love how clean my teeth feel!

Day 7

Today I ate...

0800

• Two slices of toast with peanut butter
• Water

1230

• Sandwich at home with turkey, cheese, lettuce, mustard, hot sauce
• Chex Mix
• Dill pickle slice
  
• A few Thin Mints for dessert
• Can of Diet Coke (I am falling off the wagon!)

1900

• Grilled cheese sandwich
  
• About 1/3 plate of tater tots with mustard
• Thin Mint ice cream for dessert ughhhh
• Water. Maybe I had Diet Coke...I don't remember

I might have had a cup of coffee, but I don't remember.

Day 6

Today I ate...

930

• Piece of banana bread
• Water

1200

• Half of my reuben from yesterday
• A handful of my french fries from my meal yesterday
  
• A few tablespoons of mac and cheese
• Can of Diet Coke

1800

• Slice of Pot Roast (love eating at home!!!)
• A bunch of green beans
• Probably 3/4 cup of homemade mashed potatoes (omg seriously love eating at home!)
• Water
• Way too many Thin Mints for dessert

1930

• Cup of coffee with milk and Equal
• I don't remember if I ate anything else...I don't think I did

I weighed myself this morning after I had eaten breakfast, and I am 5 pounds lighter than I was the last time I weighed myself in the morning!!

Day 5

Today I ate (roughly...)

0800

• Two pieces of toast with...something on them
• Glass of water

1000

• Tall Starbucks sweetened iced coffee with Soy Milk

1230

• Chili's steak sandwich with caramelized onions and mushrooms
• Chili's french fries
• Unsweetened iced tea...a few of them

1600

• Two smallish bowls of baked salt and vinegar chips (oooof)
• can of Diet Coke

1800

• Piece of homemade low fat banana bread
  

1930

• 1/2 of a Reuben sandwich at The Auld Shebeen
• French fries
• Water

I think that's it...

Day 4

Things I've eaten today:

830

• Smart Ones breakfast sandwich
• glass of iced coffee (same as always)
• small glass of cranberry juice

1130

• Taste of China lunch (hot and sour soup, noodles, general tso's chicken, cilantro fish rolls, small bean cake)
• tall glass of water

1730 (I think)

• Five Guys little burger with bacon (mmmm but oh nooooo)
  
• Five Guys french fries (aghhhhh)
  
• Sprite

Some salt and vinegar chips as a snack. I think that's all for Friday...I should have kept up when I still remembered!

Day 3

Today I ate:

830

• Smart Ones egg sandwich with Canadian bacon (inspiration from Casey's breakfasts)
• Cup of (french pressed) iced coffee with a splash of Silk and a few tsps of simple syrup
• small glass of cranberry juice

1030

• ~250mL water

1230

• 2 cups (I added extra pepper and cilantro) Wolfgang Puck roast chicken and wild rice soup
  
• ~8oz cut up strawberries
• ~100mL water

1430

• 1 banana
• ~100mL water

1650

• small glass of cranberry juice

1900

• two pieces of toast (with whipped cream cheese and peanut butter)
• handful of baked Lays

2100

• 2 small glasses of Riesling

NO SODA AGAIN TODAY!!! :-)

Day 2

Today I've eaten:

830

• Smart Ones egg sandwich with Canadian bacon (inspiration from Casey's breakfasts)
• Cup of (french pressed) iced coffee with a splash of Silk and a few tsps of simple syrup
• small glass of cranberry juice

1045

• ~250mL water since I got into work today

1230

• Cheddar & salami sandwich (with awesome whole wheat bread from Midlothian, VA)
• Macaroni salad from Harris Teeter
• ~250mL of water

1630

• ~250mL water

1730

• 1 serving organic sweet potato fries (like 12 fries...that is so lame)
• grilled cheese with Yancey's Fancy Finger Lakes Champagne Aged Cheddar Cheese and Polaner (no added sugar, just fruit mmm) blueberry jam OMG SO GOOD oh and with same bread from my lunch sandwich
  
• ~2 tsp mayo with sriracha sauce mixed in for the fries
• little glass of Riesling
• ~250mL water
  

NO SODA AGAIN TODAY!!!

Day 1

Today I've eaten:

830

• cup of (french press) coffee with a splash of Silk and a few tsp of simple syrup
• small glass of cranberry juice (no sugar added)
• 2 pieces of whole wheat toast with whipped Philly cream cheese
  

1045

• Half of an EXTREMELY ripe banana...gross
• ~250mL water
  

1230

• Lean Cuisine butternut squash dinner
• ~250mL water
  

1515

• CLIF kids tropical twist fruit rope
• ~100mL water
  

1700

• 6 Baked Lays (got so hungry waiting for my pasta to cook!)

1730

• ~8 oz green beans with a squeeze of lemon
• 1/2 cup of gemelli pasta with 1 Tbsp of butter and rosemary
• ~250mL water

2030

• piece of red velvet cake arghhhhh

NO SODA TODAY! GOOD JOB ME!!!