Saturday, December 12, 2015

Christmas Spirit!

Christmas is coming up very soon. Now I'm not going to pretend I don't know how many days till Christmas, because I totally do. It's 12 days away. I've literally been counting down the days since the day after Halloween, no joke. Now it's finally approaching faster and I've noticed I'm still one of the only people wearing festive Christmas outfits this past week. I understand some people don't celebrate Christmas, but I hope that at least if people don't show their holiday pride at school they show it at home!

Another thing I'm going be totally honest about, I've listened to absolutely nothing but Christmas music for the last few weeks as well, and I have no shame! Also, aside from when I'm at school I have literally lived in my reindeer onesie that I got around the time of Halloween.
Photo taken by me from camera's self timer

So, although I'm super excited that Christmas is only 12 days away, I'm also really sad because that means it's 13 days away from Christmas being over. With that comes less Christmas music, less time spent with family, and less really really good food. That is the part that makes me sad. And honestly the holiday season is my favorite time of year, so it's hard when it also makes you sad. Well, I'm going to quit boring you with why I love and also don't like Christmas being so soon at the same time.

Let's get onto the fun stuff! Here is what a typical Christmas Eve and Christmas Day is like for me starting on the night of Christmas Eve. I usually open one present early and then spend some time with my family watching a Christmas movie or listening to old traditional Christmas music. I usually go to bed at around ten or ten-thirty and wake up a few minutes later wondering if it's Christmas yet. This continues to happen about fifteen times during the night until eventually I can't stand it and I just decide to stare at the ceiling and pretend to sleep.

Once it's around six a.m. I can't wait any longer so I go wake my parents up and make them get up even thought they hate getting up early. They still love me though... Right? Then I run/fall down the stairs since I'm going so fast and rush towards the tree. I then usually spend all morning opening presents and don't eat breakfast till noon when I feel super sick! Although my Christmas doesn't sound super fun, it's my favorite day of the year.

That's my Christmas "ritual" that pretty much happens the same every year, give or take a few things. I hope you enjoyed hearing about my love for Christmas, reindeer onesies, and all the other things in between! Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas, or happy holidays if you don't celebrate it! See you on my next post!
~Ariel the reindeer

Oh, and p.s. incase you want to count the days down with me you can check out this Christmas countdown site!

Sunday, November 22, 2015

Moab

Picture taken by me!
A few weeks ago I went to Moab with my family for UEA vacation. We rented a huge RV and when my parents picked me up from school in it, it was a little awkward and embarrassing, but I ended up having so much fun. On my trip to Moab I learned how to drive, bought a pair of super awesome socks and had some really good gelato. I learned how to drive in a razor, which is kind of like a golf cart except faster, and meant for rock crawling; by rock crawling I mean in the vehicle which is very scary.

There were many times in the razor where not only did I think I was going to cry or throw up, I thought we were actually going to die... Luckily we didn't, which is great. Most people probably would not have reacted the same as me but when I was sitting in the backseat of it looking directly up into the blue sky it was pretty freakin' scary. Multiple times I thought, this is the end, we're gonna flip. 
Picture of me freaking out taken by my mom.

Anyways, even though I thought we were going to die I had a lot of fun and got to drive which was very cool. After all of the excitement, we biked into town and shopped around a bit. We had pistachio gelato at a local store and went to a very cool art gallery. Then we came across a tourist shop and they had many amusing shirts, pants and socks there. I decided to get a pair of ten dollar socks. I know that is expensive for socks, but they were a necessity and trust me you'll understand why. The picture of the socks I got says it all.
Image courtesy of Blue Q Socks
My trip to Moab was very fun and filled with near death experiences, as well as joy, socks, and yummy gelato from a local gelato store. In the end, I was sad to go home because I had tons of fun there and made some memories I will never forget. Make sure that if you go to Moab, check out the tourist shop and for sure look at the socks! Thanks for reading, see ya in the next post!
~Ariel

The Neighbourhood, Valfre, and Super 8.

Over the past nine days I worked after school and on Saturdays for Shrek the Musical I got a little bored and sick of listening to the music from it. I'm not saying that I didn't enjoy the musical, but after seeing it about 5 times I got a little bit tired and probably wouldn't be able to handle listening to the whole thing six more times. Luckily on Monday of this previous week I discover The Neighbourhood's new album, Wiped Out. Ever since I have been kind of obsessed with the album and especially a few songs on it. I particularly love the songs Cry Baby, Daddy Issues, and R.I.P 2 My Youth by The Neighbourhood if you happen to check out their album. It's right below so you totally should!
Image courtesy of iTunes and The Neighbourhood
Not only did I avoid boredom by blasting music in my ears over the sound of the musical, I also sort of stalked Valfre's Instagram. Lately Valfre's style has really impacted my drawing style as well... Haha, oops. Honestly, I'm not really sure where this blog post is going right now, but I figured I would tell you guys about my new obsessions.
Left picture by me, right image courtesy of Valfre
Image courtesy of IMDb

Last night, during our intermission break for Shrek the Musical I was invited to join someone's film club, which I think will be really fun considering I love film and animation. After they invited me to join they told me that their cousin was a film double/understudy for the main girl character in one of my favorite movies ever, Super 8. I was very happy to first of all not be the only one who loves that movie but also was blown away imagining how great of an experience that must have been for his cousin. She got to work with Steven Spielberg and J.J. Abrams! I'm so jealous.

For those who haven't seen Super 8 (which you totally should watch if you haven't) it is about a group of kids who make science fiction mini movies. One night they go out to a train track to film a scene and a truck drives directly onto the tracks, colliding with the train. What no one knew though, was that in the train was a creature from outer space. The story follows the kids on their mission to keep the alien from attacking and killing may people.

Anyways, that's about all I can think of to say for this post. I guess that's why procrastinating probably isn't always the best choice, but hey, I still wrote another post! Two posts down, only one more to go. So thank you for reading guys and look forward to another post really soon! Love yall!

~Ariel


Shrek.

Fabulous picture by me!
It was about eight o'clock on Wednesday night at our final dress rehearsal for Shrek the Musical when I realized.... I still have to write three blog posts. Not only do I have to post three blog posts, I have to make three different DIY projects! This was going to be very difficult for me since I still had stage tech after school on Thursday and Friday till ten o'clock, and on Saturday from one p.m. to midnight. How was I supposed to do this all? That's when I decided my blog topic probably needed to change.

Now, flash forward to Saturday and it is our last day of Shrek. I still have only written half a post and I can't think about what to write about. I then figured I would write about all the behind the scenes tech stuff I got to participate in. In the end, even though now I have seen Shrek the Musical a total of eleven times I thought it was a really great show.

Obviously, after the whole crew seeing it eleven times, we were pretty sick and tired of hearing the song Big Bright Beautiful World in the beginning and over-joyed when we heard I'm a Believer at the end. That being said, I still really enjoyed seeing the show every time I did.

Although the tech things I did weren't that complicated and difficult, I felt very accomplished and proud of the show the crew helped put on. Throughout the nine days we worked I became a lot less shy and made some new friends that I probably wouldn't have without this production. At the end of our Saturday double show I even had a really awesome moment that was kind of like the lift from Dirty Dancing but way less cool and I almost fell on my face.
Image courtesy of Popsugar
So, after all of that, we striked. Striking is pretty much just cleaning up all the props and taking the drops down and taking apart the wagons. Striking isn't necessarily fun but Dave really helped us make it so much more fun by giving everyone in the crew flarp. If you don't know what flarp is, it's noise putty. It pretty much is silly putty that makes fart noises. Thanks Dave for going to Walmart at eleven p.m. on a Friday night and buying forty flarp containers. That must have been awkward...
Thanks Walmart for Flarp
Overall, I really enjoyed being part of the stage tech Shrek the Musical crew. Also, Kat I'm so glad you were ogre-joyed with our performance, I know that Chris and I are the best bride ever! I hope everyone on the team had as much fun as I did in the end, and thanks to Will once again for slapping me in the face with flarp. Se ya next time!
~Ariel the gargoyle


Friday, October 23, 2015

Short Story... Sorry, It's Not a DIY

Hello everyone! It's Ariel, and I'm struggling with the time to do another DIY, so I decided I would share a story I've been working on. I know I'm not sticking to my topic of a simple DIY project with this post, but I figured rather than rush to do a sloppy project, I would share something else with you guys! So, I wrote this story in creative writing, and since I'm sharing it with you guys, I'd love some feedback! :)


          “Lena Hansen, please come to the front office.” I hear my name called over the intercom and cringe. Oh great, what happened this time? I don’t remember doing anything bad in the last few days… I sigh and grab my books before standing up and awkwardly stumbling out of the classroom. I can feel everyone’s eyes follow me out of the room and I feel my cheeks heat up with anger and nervousness. I walk down the hallway toward the front of the building. I don’t see either of my parents, or anyone I should be concerned about. I slowly step toward the office desk, where a lady is sitting behind it.
Drawn by me!
         “How may I help you?” She asks in a slightly annoyed tone.
         “I was called to the office. I’m Lena.” I say, sighing a little.
         “Oh yes, you’ve been checked out for a last minute doctor’s appointment.” She says, handing me a checkout slip.
         “What?” I ask, my eyebrows furrowed.
         “Your father called, he’s waiting outside.” She replies as if it’s obvious. I nod and turn away, then grab my backpack and strut out. 
         “My dad is at work… Why would he be taking me to the doctor’s?” I whisper to myself shaking my head. I push open the doors and walk to the parking lot. An old, beat up truck with blue chipping paint is parked on the curb across the street from the school. I smile as soon as I see the driver and walk towards the vehicle a little faster. I eventually break out into full speed running and finally reach the truck.
         “Hey, darlin’.” The driver says in his thick southern accent and I open the door as fast as possible. I jump in and wrap my arms around him, embracing his presence. The smell of his cologne fills my nose and I smile, sighing.
         “Corbin. What are you doing here?” I whisper into his ear, and I can tell he’s smiling.
         “I thought I’d stop by for a visit.” He says and I pull back. We both stare at each other smiling.
         “Well this ought to be a heck of a day! I can’t believe you’re here!” I continue to smile as I shut the passenger side door and buckle my seatbelt.
He pulls away from the curb and slowly starts to roll down the road before he steps on the gas. The car zooms down the street, and I can’t help but smile like a stupid fool.
         “How’d you get here?” I ask after a few minutes of silence.
         “I drove.” He says simply like it’s no big deal.
         “Oh my God, Corbin! You drove here all the way for me?” I ask my cheeks turning pink.
         “Anything for my little sis!” He says, looking at me smiling. We stay looking at each other for a while, still driving down the road, both too distracted by each other’s presence. I finally turn my head back to the road but am horrified by what I see.
         “Corbin!” I shout, and he turns his head, but a second too late. A car in the opposite lane crashes into our vehicle, sending me flying backwards in the blink of an eye. My seat belt comes unbuckled and my body is slammed into the backseat. The truck rattles and my vision blurs. I look around slowly, seeing that my leg has been crushed under the weight of the back left door, along with Corbin’s seat… Corbin!
         “Corbin! No! Corbin!” I shriek, hot tears rolling down my cheeks. I struggle to pull myself out from under the rubble, but don’t get very far. Panic takes over my body and I shake uncontrollably. The edges of my vision slowly fade black and a numbness floods my body. I inhale a shaky breath and slowly close my eyes, falling into a deep sleep. 


         Bright lights shine into my barely opened eyes. I blink a little until my vision becomes less blurry. My eyes focus on a white ceiling. I sit up a little and take in my surroundings. I am in a completely white room, the and there are very few pieces of furniture. Across from me is a closed door, to my left a grey plastic table, and to my right a heart monitor and IV stand.


Well, that's it for my short story! I really hope you enjoyed and I apologize for this not being a DIY project, but I'll be back with a new, and fun project for you guys next week! If you'd still like to try out a DIY project you can check out StudioDIY! Thank you so much for reading, and please leave any feedback! This story also does not have a title so feel free to suggest any ideas! Also, please check out my poll and vote for which project you'd like to see next!

~Ariel

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

DIY Food #2 - Apple "Cookies"

Hi again! It's Ariel, back with another super delicious recipe for you! This DIY is great for a snack, dessert, finger food, or just for fun! My second DIY project is, apple "cookies". Apple "cookies" are very yummy, and healthy, and great for any occasion. These are also super great treats for children if you are babysitting!

First you want to gather all of your ingredients. I will be using:

  1. Apples - Green or red work perfectly fine but I prefer red.
  2. Peanut Butter - If you have an allergy, soy butter, sun butter, or almond butter are great substitutes.
  3. Nutella - You can use plain melted chocolate if you'd like, or even chocolate syrup but I personally like Nutella.
  4. Chocolate Chips - You can use dark, milk, or white chocolate but I will be using milk.
  5. Pretzels - You can use any type, I will be using regular pretzels.
  6. Granola - This is optional if you do not want it.
You can use any other ingredients you would like for a different variety, and the steps to making this simple snack will work for any other ingredients you'd like!

To make the apple "cookies", you will also need an apple corer to remove the center of the apple. You want to start by taking your apple and pushing the corer into the center, then raise it out and and rotate it a little then push it back in. Repeat the process until the whole center of the apple is cut out. The you can remove the core and your apple is ready for slicing!


Next slice the horizontally into thin slices, about a quarter inch. This will be your "cookie" to put the toppings on. Once you have cut all of your apple you can begin to spread on peanut butter or Nutella. I made a few of each kind but you can choose to do however many of each that you would like.







Now for the toppings! First spread the peanut butter on the apple. Then, on the peanut butter "cookie" I am also adding a few chocolate chips for flavor.









As for the Nutella "cookie" I spread on the Nutella, and then add granola and crushed pretzels for texture and yummy flavor!









Now you can repeat this process for the other slices and and enjoy! I really hope you enjoyed this project, I think it's super easy and fun to make! Feel free to request any project or recipe you'd like, I'm always up for a challenge! I also would love feedback and suggestions! Thanks again for stopping by again, and I'll be back with another post soon! Also, check out I SPY DIY for some cool DIY projects! See you soon with an all new DIY! :)

~Ariel 

Saturday, October 17, 2015

DIY Food #1 - Peach Raspberry Smoothie!

Hello! It's Ariel again, back with my first DIY project! I'm sure most everyone will enjoy this project, it's super easy, yummy, and healthy! For my first DIY I've decided to post about one of my favorite smoothies! This smoothie has many different ingredients including a lot of fruit and it's perfect for a snack or breakfast! You can substitute any other ingredients for the ones I've used if you would like!

Here is what you will need for your super yummy smoothie:
(I am not a sponsor of these products)
  1. Orange juice - you can replace orange juice with whatever type of juice you enjoy!
  2. Peaches - I am using fresh peaches that I have frozen in place of ice. For this smoothie the peaches can be frozen or fresh, whatever you'd like or can find. You can use nectarines for a similar taste if you are not able to get peaches.
  3. Raspberries - frozen or fresh will both work and if you do not have or like raspberries you can substitute strawberries in place of them.
  4. Honey - any type of honey. A great substitute for honey would be agave syrup.
  5. Plain yogurt - you can use any brand of yogurt. Another good flavor to compliment this smoothie would be peach yogurt.
  6. Ice, but only if you are not using any frozen products.






Now that I have all my ingredients I start by putting the fruit into the blender. If you are not using a frozen fruit you will also want to add ice. If your peaches are frozen I suggest cutting them into smaller chunks before putting them in the blender.

 Now that the fruit is in the blender you should add just a little orange juice. I usually do not measure, but just add a little. You can always add more, but you can't always take it away!













Next I added about 5 small drops of honey into the blender. The honey will help cut down the sourness of the raspberries but still allow the flavor to come through. It will also add just a little sweetness!

 Then after I add those ingredients I put in about 3 or 4 spoonfuls of my plain yogurt. This will give the smoothie a little more texture.

Make sure to put on the lid before you blend!

The finished product!
Now blend it until it is completely smooth and all the fruit is blended fully. It usually takes about a minute or so to blend depending on the blender you use! Now you have a super delicious, and healthy smoothie!











Hope you enjoyed the first DIY! If you like this recipe and are looking for some more types of smoothies you can check out this website! There are many more coming up soon! Thanks so much for stopping by, see you next time on DIY Anytime for another simple DIY project!

~Ariel

Friday, September 4, 2015

Welcome to my Blog!

Hello, I’m Ariel and I’m fourteen years old. I live in Utah, and attend Treasure Mountain Jr. High School. I am a ninth grader and will be posting on this blog for my honors English blog assignment. I will be posting weekly with a wide variety of different Do It Yourself crafts and ideas. Now I will tell you a little bit about what I will be posting on my blog.

As I mentioned, and as said in the title of my blog, I will be posting a lot of different DIY activities and projects. There are many various types of DIY’s and here are a few I will be posting about:

  1. DIY Food Tutorials:
    • In my Do It Yourself food tutorials I will show you different recipes and substitutes for your favorite foods!
  2. DIY Crafts:
    • I will give you some great ideas for Mother's/Father's Day gifts, holiday decorations, and more! 
  3. DIY Accessories and Clothing:
    • I will teach you some super simple and cute DIY's you can wear!
  4. DIY Activities:
    • Fun and easy DIY's games and activities for any occasion from babysitting to backyard barbecues!
  5. DIY Gifts:
    • I will give you some help and ideas for homemade gifts for any holiday or occasion!


Every week, with some exceptions, I will be posting a new Do It Yourself with a different theme from the previous one! I will also be giving a small sneak peek into what the next week’s post will be about. The post will include some pictures and step by step instructions to help you create whatever DIY project you’re working on!

Next I am going to tell you a little bit about me. I already stated a few things such as my name, age, the school I attend, and a few others but now I’ll be telling you more! I have no siblings and two dogs; Jimmy Dean is a dachshund-chihuahua mix, and Mia Harlow is a blue nose pit-bull. Both of my parents have websites, my mom's for her diner party business, and my dad's for his business. I have always loved to craft ever since I was young and learned to sew when I was four years old. Some other things I love are dance, art, film, photography, and singing. I love drawing and doodling, and anything creative! I take dance at Dance Tech Studios with one of my best friends and although I do not take singing lessons it is still one of my favorite things to do just for fun. I started dancing when I was four but do not think I wan’t to pursue it as a career. I want to go to college in New York for film and hopefully become a director. I am also very interested in stop-motion animation and think it is very cool and interesting, even though it’s tedious. 

That is just a little bit about me and my blog! Hope you enjoyed and come back next week for a cool DIY project!

~ Ariel