Vintage/Retro Posters

I just love the look of vintage/retro posters and would love some for my online singing lessons studio, Charlie Pants Music.

I tried my hand at a couple today and thought I would post it here to spread the word of what I do for work.

Leah Stone of Speech Level Singing International, method to Michael Jackson and 120 Grammy Winners, offers online singing lessons and in person group singing workshops and lessons.

Student's have been on

• X Factor
• Disney
• American Idol
• The Voice
• Duets
• Broadway
• The Latin Grammy's
• The Tony Awards
• Black Entertainment Television & so much more...

Contact: charliepantsmusic (at) gmail (dot) com

Web: www.charliepantsmusic.com

Blog: www.charliepantsmusiclessons.blogspot.com



 

Homemade Witch Hat

My sister called me today asking me if i knew how to make a witch hat as she and my other sisters and mother are going to Witch A Palooza at Gardner Village in Salt Lake City, Utah. It is a fun experience to get the ladies together, let your inner witch out for the night, watch great dinner theater (This year will be Taming of the Brew), and admire some amazing Halloween Decorations.

Many of the women wear impressive witch hats that you can purchase for about $40-80, but I say why pay when you can create on your own brilliant witch hat.

I went to pinterest and the web for inspiration

Here is what I suggest you purchase to make a great witch hat

Hit up your dollar store or Michaels or Hobby Lobby (don't forget the 40% off coupon)

-basic black witch hat (or another color if you like)
-tulle (orange, purple, green, black)
-feathers (I like the black feathers personally)
-ribbon
- plastic spiders
-wire (black if you can find it)
-anything else you can think of (spider webs, toy bats, etc.)

Get out your glue gun or super glue and get a creating.  You have to remember to keep the thing light so don't load that sucker up with pumpkins or heavy spiders.  The wire is incredibly important to wrap around the inside of the top to make it stick straight up or curl around like so

For a cute idea if you aren't a hat wearer I found this on the great and talented Martha Stewart website, a Bat Headband.  Directions can be found here.

Maybe if I am feeling extra creative I will rig one up for you guys to see how I did it.

Recipe Fail & Prenatal Yoga

So I guess my idea to have others share their favorite recipe via their blog address was a major fail.  It could mean a couple of things

1. No one reads this blog so it really didn't stand a chance to succeed
2. My readers also don't know how to cook
3. No one cared

I can take it though. It is fine, Paul will just continue to eat the crap I cook for him or the gourmet food he cooks when he has time.

 

via

I am heading to Prenatal yoga in like 2 seconds and I feel weird every time the teacher tells me to place one hand on my heart and the other on my baby and then send the baby loving energy. My eyes are supposed to be closed, but I keep opening one eye to see if others are actually participating and usually the women all look so blissfully happy rubbing their bellies.  Wonder what is my problem?

Have a great weekend.

PS. I posted on Charlie's blog about my first fall sighting so check it out.

Recipe Blog Hop

 

The time has come that I finally look into the eye of the beast and tackle it.

I can't cook. I hate to cook. It is boring.

I do enjoy home cooked food though and unfortunately my amazing chef of a husband can't just be my full time stay at home husband. Dang it I need to make that happen ASAP.

This is what I need and I propose. All my readers and friends are going to help me play a game. I want you to blog about your easiest, most delicious, and preferably crock pot friendly meal and then send me the link.  I don't want a pinterest recommendation- I want your recommendation complete with pictures and testimonials. Then I will try it out and we can laugh and how bad my turns out.

Good idea?  Today this is what I am trying, found it on pinterest and don't know if it will turn out. It is in the crockpot as I type.

Crockpot! 1 cup pineapple juice 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1/3 cup light soy sauce 2 pounds chicken breast tenderloins. Cook on low 6-8 hrs.

I am promised this is supposed to taste great and fall apart in my mouth.  I will let you know.  Please post your recipe on your blog and then post it in the comments so we can all try your recipe out :)

It is True

So I guess swearing up and down that kiddos aren't in your future does make for a confused bunch of friends when we announce that we are having a baby.  The rumors are true, I am not just getting fat, which is quite a relief:)

A couple of people have asked if we are having a boy based on the photo announcement you can see here, but I assure you that currently we don't know.  The shoes in the picture as suppossed to be black, I was looking for a gender neutral color, but I think the exposure of the photo made them look blue.  (PS. can you guess how long it took for the dogs to actually lay next to each other and the shoes to cooperate? A very long time, the shoes were the worst :)

Alas, when we know the gender, you guys will know.  I guess we can take bets on what it will be.  Which gender will Leah and Paul tolerate better?

On to more pressing issues,  I need help finding a rug for my family room.  Here is a photo of the room. The walls are orange, yes orange.  I find it quite fun but am having problems deciding on a rug that is durable, easy to clean and inexpensive.  Please help.

Give me ideas or send me links of rugs you think would look good.



 

Drum Roll....

Paul and I are both a little terrified and a lot excited.  The land of the kiddos here we come.

 

Turning 30

Luckily Paul turns older first.  He turns the big 3-0 tomorrow.  I turn the big 3-0 on Tuesday.  We are heading down to New Mexico for a fun, romantic weekend getaway.  We will be relaxing in Red River, Taos, and Santa Fe.  If you have been to any of these places and have any advice on things to do, eat, play, etc that would be great.

I have been thinking a lot about turning 30.  A year ago turning 29 was miserable, I just kept thinking "Damn I am gonna be old next year."  Isn't that funny to think that 30 is old?  I have now had time to let it sink in that 30 isn't even close to old.  Someone told me that 30's are for getting comfortable in your skin and knowing what is important in life.  I can feel that taking hold and am excited for it to root.

So dear Paul here are the 30 most memorable things so far

1.  You are the master of the Honey Dew list (thank you for building and fixing just about anything I can dream up and ask for).

2.  Remember when you chopped down that huge tree at our Sugarhouse house and you thought you were so awesome?

3. Our whale watch adventure while in Maui, although we only saw the tale of a whale and it wasn't all too exciting at least I could provide you with enjoyment while puking over the side of the boat.

4.  You gave me Mr. Charlie Pants.  I remember tiny paw prints walking up my chest and a wet tongue licking my face to wake me up one glorious day.  He is a freaking awesome dog.

5. Buying our house in Sugarhouse (Salt Lake City, Utah) and all the many projects you did (mudroom, raised flower beds, outdoor room, my garage vocal studio, the yard and sprinkler system, so many more...)

6. Selling our house in Sugarhouse, (Utah) and moving across the country to Washington DC to go to graduate school together.

7. Our Fall Foliage trip back East  1,776 miles driven over 12 states in 4 1/2 days

8.  Our two week adventure through Italy. Although I wasn't allowed to take a picture of the David Statue you helped me sneak one anyways and somehow it turned out to be an embarrassing picture of just his weiner.

9.  Getting pulled over by Italian cops while in Italy and me eating an entire bag of Fruitellas (kind of like mumbas).

10. The many bike races.  Some that include not so fond memories (you forgot to register and bring cash as only way to register on race day) or when you did the whole race but somehow was no where to be found on the finish card.  and great memories like when we were dating and I went to your Deer Valley race to hand out water and screamed so loudly for you that other parents asked me to yell for their boys too.

11.  Calling me up to ask me if I put glass in your peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

12. Graduating together with our Master's Degrees.

13. Packing up the moving truck yet again and heading to Colorado to explore the Rockies.

14. When you cut your toe on an escalator at Eddie Bauer's while in Chicago. Honestly babe, who does that?

15. How much you loved our first doberman Vixen.

16. How you and our current doberman Jack are BFFs.  Although I get jealous cause you cuddle with him more than with me, I think it is sweet of the love between a boy and his dog.

17. Buying our home in Colorado. Man I love this house.

18.  Making out with you when we were dating.  I just loved dating you. You were a great boyfriend.  A great husband too, but it is always fun to look back at those young moments of love.

19. Our first kiss at the drive-in in Rexburg. You got a cool old red truck and put a mattress in the back. I am pretty sure you had the whole thing planned. I am pretty sure we "watched" the "Planet of the Apes" and I think "Legally Blonde".

20. When we used to send cassette tapes to each other while you were heading to Russia so we could still hear each other's voices.  So romantic and sweet of us.

21. Watching you graduate with you Bachelor's. I was so stinking proud.

22. How everyone thought you were gay while in your undergraduate cause you were so hot and dressed well and rode the red scooter with matching helmet to school.  Best compliment I say :)

23. Our beloved movie watching marathons.

24.  Riding that motorcycle up in Rexburg and riding in the tractor on the farm.

25.  Our road trip of the Southern States Spring Break of 2011.  What a fun trip. Remember how scared I was on the crocodiles and wouldn't sleep in the tent with you? Haha.

26.  You giggle gets me everytime.

27. Taking art class together.  Remember that horribly ugly baby you drew?

28. I love eating the creations you make in the kitchen.

29.  Our trip to Australia to visit my dad and mom in Adelaide.  How cool was it to pet a Koala, feed giraffees, and feed baby kangaroos.  Remember how freaked you were that they were going to kick you so you kind of kept running from them with trepidation?

30. Our wedding day in Hawaii.  That was really something special. Love you babe.

I have so many more and have a hard time thinking of all the good ones on the spot, but know that I love you. Happy 30th Babe.

 

We Bought a House

Image: Stephanie Williams Photography

I am excited to report that the Stone house has moved about a block away. 

We bought a cute yellow bungalow with a large front porch in our current neighborhood, Bradburn, of Westminster, Colorado.

Pretty fun. I have been nesting up a storm :) Now I get to pick paint colors, I love this part.  Any ideas for a whole house color palette?  I like grey's and blue's. Although my family room is orange and originally I thought that color was gonna go, I kind of love it, and think it will stay. I will post a photo so you can see it and you can vote.



 

Parenting like the French

I want to buy these books because I saw this post a long time about How to Raise Kids Like a French Woman on Cup of Jo's blog and I just find it very interesting and several points I would like to follow when I have little ones of my own.

 

Cup of Jo also blogged about how to teach your kids how to eat by using tips from the French. What is it with those Frenchies?  Too smart maybe.  Check these tips out and tell me what you think.  I really love the idea of not using food as a reward. Smart.

 Illustrations by Sarah Jane Wright for French Kids Eat Everything)

 

Custom Pet Portraits

Get a custom oil portrait of your pet.  It is the perfect gift to remember your loving best friend forever. Contact me about pricing and to place an order

leahstone17@gmail.com

 

Buying a Home

So Paul and I are in the midst of buying a house which as many of you know if fun, exciting, and sometimes annoying.  It is a cute yellow bungalow in a great neighborhood for making good friends, doggie play dates, and families. I am really hoping it all works out smoothly.  I have been pinning things like crazy that I want to do to the house, but the first order of business is this...

 

The house is yellow with white (possibly cream) trim which is adorable.  The shingles up above are not so adorable, they are light pink. Yeah you heard me, light pink.  The picture doesn't show the nature of this situation, but trust me a yellow and pink house is not a good combination. So immediately when we move in I want to pain the shingles a different color so I am taking votes.  I am thinking a nice gray would look great or even just continue the yellow up above on the shingles.  What do you think?

 

A White Kitchen

I really love the look of a white kitchen (white cabinets, white/grey soapstone counter tops, and white subway tile) but I am not sure if I am sold on the idea of doing it for my house.  I have 2 black short haired pups, Charlie and Jack, and I can just imagine their tiny hairs getting stuck on the cabinet doors and I would find myself whipping them down endlessly.

Tell me what you think. Do you like white kitchens? If you could paint your cabinets any color what color would they be?

 

via House Beautiful  

If I had an extra $0000 for appliances I love the look of these retro appliances by Big Chill.

All photos via pinterest

 

I got a FREE Kindle Fire

Will someone please share a book with me?

 

I realize I am a little late to jump on the Kindle, Nook, IPad reader bandwagon, but hey when you get the opportunity to get something for free you just have to take it.

If you live in CO, AZ, or CA you too can get a Free Kindle Fire.  You have to open up a checking account at 1st Bank and pay three bills with bill pay, then you get a code in your email and order it online.  The whole process took about a month from setting up the account to getting it in the mail. But it did come, it is cool and yes it was free. 

From the website:

Offer valid only for customers residing in Colorado, Arizona, or Riverside County, CA. Offer valid for new personal checking accounts opened. Limit one gift award per household, per 24 month period. Limit one gift per account. The gift is redeemable online and a redemption code will be given if the account opened is in good standing, the customer enrolls for online banking, and (1) a direct deposit greater than $300 posts to the account, or (2) three bill payments are made from the account to corporate entities. Requirements (1) and (2) above must be met within 60 days of account opening and the code will be given within 90 days of account opening. Direct deposit must be payroll, pension, Social Security or other government benefits. Direct deposit or Bill Pay enrollment must be new to FirstBank. We reserve the right to substitute gifts offered at any time with an item of similar value. Limited time offer. The cost of the gift is considered interest and is subject to IRS and other tax reporting. The cost of the gift is considered a bonus that can be revoked if the account is closed within six months of opening. FirstBank employees are not eligible to receive the gift. iPod Touch© is a registered trademark of Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, Garmin, and Amazon are not participants in or sponsors of this promotion.