Crafting Means No Worries

“To live a creative life we must first lose the fear of being wrong.” -Joseph Chilton Pearce

When the craft supplies come out, all rules have to be forgotten. The thing about creativity is there’s no right way or wrong way – just you and your own creativity are all it takes to put your best masterpiece forward. There can be no holding back when you’re laying it all out on the canvas.

From Bob Ross painting tutorials and constantly mod podging puzzles, to dabbling in photoshop and trying new recipes, I jump at any and every opportunity to get a little creative, as anybody should. Even though I have ~more than~ 20 years of giving it my best shot, perfection is still not my speciality. All those sorority crafts I was forced/willed to put together have helped, but all my projects still have a little … umm, character. Yes, character.

And that’s what’s so great about creativity. The final piece? Sure, that’s what your striving to complete. But the mess along the way? Now, that’s the fun part. Being wrong is not an option because no matter how you get there, you take pride in your work and the process.

I wouldn’t consider my most recent creative project a fail necessarily, but there’s definitely some room for improvement next time. That is, if there is a next time. Have you seen the craze with string art lately? Well, that’s what I took a stab at.

Here’s my three takeaways. For starters, stencils are man’s best friend, and I’m proud that after years of botched lettering, I can finally recognize that. Secondly, coloring can make all the difference. Think about how they’ll all work together in the end. Or don’t, that’s the fun of it after all, right? Finally, and much more specific, don’t tear away the stencil before you web the string between the nails. Let’s just say I had over 20 nails pegged to the board and no obvious direction about where the string should attach. The biggest mistake but a fun challenge.

At the end of the day, I’m going to have to go with the fact that it’s the thought that counts. The idea was still pretty cool and not only was it a fun little after-work activity, but it was also a great excuse to run to Home Depot.

Crafting to me, means Hakuna Matata. You know, there’s no worries. Halloween is on the way, and I have a few other ideas still bottled up in me, and not just involving costumes. More projects are upcoming, so as alway, stay tuned!

What’s your most recent creative outbreak? Share your projects in the comments.

How Kenosha Are You?

Contrary to popular belief, being a townie isn’t as easy it looks. There’s a lot to do, see and eat in Kenosha, and there’s only so much time to try it all out. So, what’s the best way to make sure you’ve experienced everything there is? Start a bucket list of course!

Four years ago, I cleverly published an article for the Carthage Current, the student-run newspaper, titled, you guessed it, “How Kenosha are you?” It was amidst a running joke, making light of the bittersweet joys of the mid-west. Though not the first place people look to spend the rest of their lives, it actually is filled with its own wonders. You just have to find them.

Well, since that article was published, and might I add retracted, a lot of things have changed. For one, living in Kenosha goes so much farther than attending Carthage and getting off campus for a beach day. Some businesses I originally included have since closed and others have hit the ground running. That’s why I wanted to take a second look at all-things Kenosha.

How’d you rank on this Kenosha sightseeing quiz?! I’m pretty bias, but I’m taking my big-shot ranking pretty seriously even though I haven’t crossed-off all of the activities either. Hey, we can totally share this to-do list. Also, there’s some places I wish I had room to include, like Iguana Wana, the Brat Stop and maybe the Racine Zoo. What other places do you think I missed?

It really is true, Kenosha is an unfortunately convenient place to live. Halfway between Milwaukee and Chicago makes for great fun any day of the week. It’s a local hub for all kinds of activities suitable for families, couples, groups and yes, even millennials.

Share your favorite Kenoshan activities in the comments!

Wrapping Up a Grilling Nightmare

At the beginning of summer, I had this conversation with a friend:

Friend: “What’s your favorite summer food?”
Me: “My favorite summer food? Umm. Shish-kebabs?”

An exaggeration? Maybe, but in that moment, it was the only “summer food” I could think of. And boy, am I glad I said it. Immediately following the conversation an intense craving grew inside me, and a few weeks later, my taste buds rejoiced.

Shish kebabs are such a colorful dinner to make, and there’s an almost unlimited amount of possible ingredients, such as chicken and corn on the cob, red onion, peppers, mushrooms and even pineapple and watermelon. Though I personally didn’t favor the fruit flair, I can still respect them as an extra fun addition. Once your kebabs are fully loaded, and I mean LOADED, it should be time to hit the grill.

Living in an apartment means our grilling tools aren’t very high-quality. We have a small, confusing charcoal grill in the grassy area outside of our building that should have done the trick. Well, either we’re idiots (likely) or the grill doesn’t work right (also likely). Someway, somehow, after two hours and plenty of lighter fluid later, the kebabs still weren’t cooked even in the slightest. We actually watched a different group of people come outside, light their own fancy gas grill, finish cooking, eat their dinner and clean up within 20 feet of us, and yet, our dinner was still just as uncooked as when we started.

That’s when we made the executive decision to fire up the oven, and bring this escapade inside. Twenty minutes later at an unnecessarily high temperature, and finally, it was time to eat! The chicken was just so deliciously seasoned and the veggies simply pulled it all together, offering a variety of flavors and textures.

It won’t come as a surprise that there were plenty of leftovers to go around. I’ve really gotten the hang of making these tasty wraps, perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Aldi sells these amazing Spinach & Herb and Tomato & Basil shells, which make it even easier to wrap-up nearly anything, including this nightmare. I spread on some hummus, feta cheese, and those tasty leftovers for a little makeshift mediterranean wrap. Dare I say it? YUMM!

Side-note: Hey, I bet someday I could write an entire blog about all my Aldi finds …

We tried to make shish kebabs a couple more times, but truthfully, they never turned out as good as the first time. Womp womp. Maybe the original tastiness was just the magic of fulfilling a deeply engraved craving.

Continuing on with the gorgeous summer foods, this pasta salad I made was practically a party in a bowl! Quite literally too because it was made with leftovers from my roommate’s birthday party. (HBD MAR!) That massive cheese and cracker platter, salami and all, sure did come in handy.

So, what’s your favorite summer food? Share yours in the comments!

(Part 2) When Life Gives You Leftovers… Mamma Mia!

Pappa Pia! Baby’s got the diarrhea!… It’s time for another recipe dump, which means that I’ve put a lot of leftovers to good use lately and not just for breakfast. Hey, your girl’s gotta eat, so here’s what I’ve been up to in the kitchen lately – with a pinch of Italian seasoning. That should make slightly more sense by the end of this.

For starters, remember back on Valentine’s Day when we made mouth-watering, heart-shaped pizzas? Shortly thereafter, those extra helpings of pizza sauce found a new life. Alfredo sauce? Well, that doesn’t need much of an explanation. Pasta it is! The marinara, on the other hand, was used a little more experimentally. This recipe for an Easy Mozzarella Chicken is definitely joining my regular roundup. I actually made it even easier than it was supposed to be because I in no way, shape or form made a homemade sauce. Helloooo, that’s what the leftovers were for, and it was still just as cheesy and delicious as expected.

Now, here’s when it gets a little fancy. An abandoned spaghetti squash wandered itself into my life, and the rest is simply history. This Pesto Spaghetti Squash was completely new to me and pure fun to enjoy. The pesto taste came through strong, but because I don’t cook with it often, it was a nice change to the everyday flavor palette. I’m still wary of the texture, which became a slop of sorts, but this recipe has definitely opened future cooking opportunities.

Then came some other classics, including the previously mentioned ham and pea pasta, spaghetti and meatballs and one of my personal favorites, a little something I like to call Grown-Up Mac and Cheese. I think I ordered something like this at Baker Square once, so I’d consider it a tribute to one of the best restaurants of all time. It’s as simple as it sounds. Start with your favorite mac and cheese and then add all your favorite toppings, which for me means bacon, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach and anything else I can think of. The list truly goes on.

What “Italian” dishes have you experimented with lately? Share your recipes, tips and tricks in the comments.

~*~*~*

Speaking of Mamma Mia…  I’ve been shamelessly plugging the new movie since before I even saw it myself.

Me: Well, Mamma Mia 2 comes out today!
Boss: Oh? Is that something we’re into?

Well, duh!! It’s a cinematic masterpiece, obviously! Now that I’ve seen it, I’ve also been singing along to the complete Mamma Mia playlist on repeat. My life has changed for the better. Have you had the chance to see “Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again,” yet? If not, stop reading this and get to the theater. Seriously, hurry, it’s $5 Tuesday!

A Guide To Celebrating Shark Week on a Budget

Since the beginning of time (1988), the world has come together to celebrate Shark Week, an educational, yet entertaining, week-long recognition of the sea’s great kings. Since its startup thirty years ago, which is a pretty big celebration in itself, the programming has expanded from just ten episodes to countless multimedia, multi-company campaigns. So what’s the best way to embrace all things shark this summer? Here’s ThatGirlMarisa’s guide to celebrating Shark Week on a budget, because we could all use some more fiscal responsibility.

Step One: Streaming services

Don’t have a cable provider? First, join the club. Second, don’t worry – Shark Week is still possible. It may be a little more complicated than telling Alexa, “Watch Shark Week,” but just trust your inner millennial. I was able to download the Discovery Go App, which right off the bat had free episodes of all the classics, including The Daily Bite, Fin Frenzy and of course, Shaq Does Shark Week.

The sad news is that, unfortunately, to watch live programming, you’re going to need some form of cable subscription. Now is the time to tap into that abandoned Xfinity account. (Thanks, mom and dad!) Go forward and find that friend, coworker or neighbor to mooch off of. Come on, it’s only for the week!

Step Two: A lil’ snacking and a lil’ shopping

Once you unlock the unmatched potential of blue food coloring and shark gummies, the world really becomes your oyster. Try out this simple enough Shark Waffle or this (HOLY YUM!!) Cake Batter Shark Bait. Talk about tasty! Don’t forget that there’s a whole sea of possibilities out there. These two recipes just caught my eye because they seemed doable even for all those amateur chefs out there like myself.

Cooking not your thing? That’s okay, but if so, you may need to throw out that budget I mentioned earlier. Try checking out Cold Stone or 7-Eleven for special sweets, swag and so much more or browse local deals in your community, who knows which small-town business owners are secret Shark Week fanatics. Take a look at these adorable Build-a-Bear sharks while you’re at it too .

Step Three: Sharking it up

Duuun Dun Duuun Dun DUN DUN

You’ve made it this far, so I’m thinking you’re still looking for ways to celebrate. Here’s a winner – dress your dog up in their most ferocious costumes, ahh! Jaws ain’t got nothing on little Nicky boy.

Okay, okay. Fine, the budget’s out the window. Let’s head on over to the aquarium to wave, “Hello,” to the hammerheads, the mermaids and everything in between. Happy FREAKING Shark Week! Peace, love and sharks ya’ll!

How are you celebrating this one of a kind week? Share your shark-tastic festivities in the comments.

Ham Matters

While we’re on the topic of holidays, let’s hippity-hop all the way back to Easter. Remember when I said it’s pretty awesome how we all got free hams from work? What?! You have more going on in your life than thinking about what I’m eating?! What an atrocity! I digress… I’ve finally made enough ham-themed items to tell you about it. Thrilling – I know.

You’ll be learning soon enough about a couple theories I have. I’ve already talked about the versatility of eggs, but if you ask me, any food can also be turned into a pasta or soup. Don’t believe me? Well, let this ham be your first piece of evidence.

First things first, my quiches just keep getting better and better. There’s a secret to getting the filling at its maximum fluffiness while still including all those tasty ingredients like spinach, mushrooms, peppers and of course, the ham. So far, the secret has been to cook the veggie add-ins separately to help remove any excess moisture beforehand. Plus that flaky crust – mmm, mmm, mmm. All in all, a timeless quiche is definitely still my go-to, perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner or even a midnight snack.

Next up was a parmesan, ham and pea – you guessed it – pasta. The recipe went exactly as it sounds, and it was as delicious as it sounds too! I mean, what could go wrong? We’re talking about massive amounts of parmesan here, there was a lot of room for error. My rendition may have been a little ham-heavy, but I just had to get rid of it, and again, that wasn’t such a bad thing. I’m sure the next time I come across a whole ham again, this will be a must-have.

And last but not least, a creamy ham and potato soup. I guess I should start by saying that cream of chicken and wild rice is my all-time favorite food, so this was a masterpiece waiting to happen. There’s no picture because, uhh, hey, I don’t need to explain myself to you. Just take my word. You’re probably sick of hearing this, but it was delicious! Again, there was really no place to go wrong, or maybe I just have low expectations. Either way, I’d call all three of these a major success.

Of course, this is the ham that just keeps on giving because there’s still a huge chunk in the freezer, so stay tuned to find out what recipes I try out next. Who am I kidding? I’ll probably whip up another quiche!

Actually, do you have any recipes involving ham you think I should try out? Share them with me in the comments!

Girl Scouts Will Run the World Some Day

Unless you have unbelievable levels of self control, one half of the year is always a little better than the other due to one reason, and one reason only: Girl Scout Cookies. From selling them door-to-door throughout elementary school to stocking up on massive quantities and supporting young entrepreneurs, I think it’s safe to say that Girl Scouts will run the world some day.

This girl? Ready to change the world!

I’ll never forget the feeling of pride when I made one of my first sales. A new neighbor had just moved in a couple houses down, just in time for little ol’ me to go on the prowl. Here’s how I remember the situation unraveling:

*Rings doorbell* (Obviously some form of small talk follows)
Me: …so would you want to buy some Girl Scout Cookies?
Neighbor: Hmm. Let me take a look. *browses order form*
Me (to self): please, please, please, please, please
Neighbor: Okay, yeah, I’ll take 10 boxes!
Me: HOLY SH*T! 10 BOXES?!?! #$%&!! JACKPOT!!! 

I have a pretty laser-sharp memory, and that’s exactly how the situation went – no substitutions. That year, I definitely earned an extra eraser or other pointless “award” for successful sales. But now, I get to be that generous person for the next generation of passionate, persuasive little entrepreneurs. Especially because choosing only one flavor is just so dang difficult. I know Tagalongs are usually my favorite, but I’ve recently been blown away by the S’mores too.

F*ck it! Give my five boxes and let’s call it a day.

Just so we’re clear, this has been a dangerous habit of mine since high school…

This girl? Needs a few minutes.

Plus, have you even seen what kinds of sales tactics they’re using lately? At some stands they can even accept credit/debit cards as valid payment. The excuse of not having cash can’t help you out of this guilt. Just buy the cookies and move on if only for the sake of recognizing how ingenious that is.

In a perfect world, girl scout cookie season never ends. Unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect world, so we need to bask in every opportunity possible. Have I been on a cookie binge lately? Maybe, but it’s all in good fun, and no matter what I do Girl Scout Cookies ALWAYS get the best of me, and probably you too, so we might as well embrace it.

What’s your favorite type of Girl Scout Cookie? You know I’m a Tagalong girl. Share your go-tos in the comments!

Not so GirlBoss Afterall

Remember a couple months ago when I thought I was going to become a millionaire from selling antique plates on eBay? Well, I’m sure it’s no surprise to hear that the plates never sold. Womp womp. Maybe that wasn’t my calling after all, which got me thinking…

There’s so many people around the world trying to make it work, perfecting their skills, craft and knowledge to get ahead. Everybody has their own specialty, something they are focused on and striving towards. But enough of this vague talk. My point is that maybe I just haven’t found mine yet.

Sophia Amoruso rose to success because of her eBay shop, but that doesn’t mean I have to. It’s one thing to be inspired by somebody’s journey, but to follow in their footsteps? Maybe that’s not always the best move considering we each have our own paths to take.

So it’s official – my vintage market is closed… until further notice.

When things don’t go as expected, I remember what one wise teacher taught me, “Always write your plans in pencil because you never know when or how sh*t is going to change.” Okay, she didn’t say it quite like that, but it still rings true. Come on, you know the phrase when one door closes another one opens, when one plate doesn’t sell another one is thrown against the wall, etc. etc.

Someday, somewhere I’ll find my path, the little something I am destined to achieve. Until then, the best I can do is try. Try new things everyday. Try to develop unique skills. Try to form new relationships. Try to push myself towards success. Try to explore unexpected opportunities. Some days may be harder than others, but we’ll get there when we get there. Just keep trying.

While I’m here I’d like to mention that I started listening to podcasts, you know just as all millennials do. In fact, the first podcast I listened to was creatively titled, “The Millennial.” Guess what my first instinct was? “That’s it! I’ll start a podcast!” No, Marisa, what did we just talk about? Embrace the inspiration of other peoples’ success without getting swept up in it!

And for the record, I’ve also been listening to Trevor Noah: Ears Edition and Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard.

Well, I guess starting a podcast would be pretty cool…

What #FAILS have you experienced lately? Share your challenges and triumphs in the comments!

 

The Case of the Endless Appetizer Meatballs

It rolled off the table, it rolled on the floor. And then my poor meatball rolled right out the door… and followed me all the way to work! Yeah that’s right, I brought a crock-pot full of meatballs to work with me, but first let’s rewind.

When my birthday came around in March, the office had already been flooded with sweets. Waffles on top of waffles, donuts on top of donuts, cake, cookies, muffins and the list goes on. You name it, and for some reason it made its way into the office and on a plate at my desk. Okay fine, that last part is my own fault, whatever. The moral of the story is that when it was finally my turn to bring a treat in, I couldn’t look one more sweet in the eye.

Naturally, I turned to my next instinct – appetizers! Cucumber sandwiches are an all time favorite, and cocktail meatballs quickly follow suite. Now, all I needed to do was explain myself.

—-Original Message—

From: ThatGirlMarisa
Sent: Thursday, March 22, 2018 at 8:51 a.m.
To: All the Co-Workers
Subject: Half Priced Apps

“Good morning! I know it’s only 9am, but I couldn’t dare bring in one more sweet. Little meatballs and cucumber sandwiches are available! Consider this a pregame for lunch!? Enjoy!”

And so it goes. I treated my coworkers to yet another massive amount of meat. (LOL) Did I mention I won a bet because of it? Let’s just say that after one to many karaokes the odds were stacked up against me. You can tell by how sticky I apparently got just from making them the night before. Surprisingly, I made it to work with snacks in tow just fine!

Of course I bought the meatballs from Costco, so there were a ton left over, which seems to be a trend, i.e. pork roast, corned beef, eggs. I froze a whole bunch of them and just recently pulled them out to enjoy again. This time I tossed a few in with some pasta. YUMM! They may have been even better than the first tastes.. But I think I say that too often too. *shoulder shrug*

While we’re here I might as well give a shout-out to other types of meatballs. Actually, now that I think of it, spaghetti and meatballs have always held a special place in my heart. I make some dang good ones too, but maybe I’m just bias. There’s only one way to know for sure. Message me to make dinner reservations and maybe you can find out for yourself.

How do you like to eat your meatballs? With spaghetti? As a sandwich? Share your cravings in the comments!

The Power of 20 Seconds (and 45 Minutes)

“You know, sometimes all you need is 20 seconds of insane courage. Just, literally, 20 seconds of just embarrassing bravery.” –Benjamin Mee from We Bought a Zoo

Ah, yes, one of my favorite movies – We Bought a Zoo. Never seen it? Please, let me explain. Benjamin Mee buys a house located on a local, run-down zoo and starts a new adventure for himself and his two kids after suffering the loss of his wife: a huge, bittersweet step forward caused mostly by courage, hope and love. The family’s motto quickly creates a whole assortment of new beginnings that help transition to a new kind of happiness.

New ideas, new challenges and new experiences can be welcomed and opened up with a little courage. Forget about how other people have planned your future and move towards transforming your own ideas and goals into achievable plans. Think you have a crazy idea? Think it through – maybe it’s not so crazy after all. Find what works, embrace that opportunity and get to where you want to be.

Everyday, we face bold decisions that are made easier with a dash of bravery. From the simple things like reaching out to an old friend to making moves forward towards a whole new chapter, take worthwhile risks and turn your can’ts into cans. Me? I’m thinking about conquering all that tragic small talk at work.

With just a little bit of change for one person, the adventure that lies ahead feels a lot more exciting. All it takes is 20-seconds, so go ahead and make your own path one that lights up with unforgettable memories.

Are you wondering where the 45 minutes comes in? Well… that’s just 20 seconds 135 times in a row. In other words, my German teacher once told me that no matter how much time still needs to elapse, she always just thinks about 45 minutes. For example, “How much longer of this god awful hike do we have to get through?” “45 minutes.”

It’s both an attainable goal, and a long enough period of time that a longer duration wouldn’t be surprising. If it’s less time, then you’ll think time really does fly by, and if it’s a little longer, well today’s been a pretty long day anyways.

I guess what I’m saying is we should all try to make the most out of every second, every minute and every day. Seconds turn into weeks, which turn into months and years. Don’t regret doing nothing while time continues to go by.

I love giving myself pep talks. How have you gotten yourself up and moving lately? Share what motivates you in the comments!