#DIYQUEEN

Time to catch up on some blogging folks. As some of you might know, I am now referred to as "mrs. manzanares" since I was married to my best friend in June. Awww mrs. manzarares.. how sweet that sounds :) ANYWHO... Chance & I are the typical "poor married students" and we've been living in this adorable apartment in cedar city as of late. I've always had a dream to become an interior designer so I've been waiting for the day to decorate my own home for as long as I can remember. Since our wallets are thin I've had to come up with my own ways of decorating our house. It's been so much fun! My family gives me a lot of crap because I recently did a lot of diy for our wedding. It was a LOT of work but it did save us some money! I don't really mind getting made fun of as long as my house looks cute :) I've done a lot more crafts then the ones I've posted, but I'm too lazy haha. I will post my quilt before and after when it's finally finished! oh and I am kicking myself in the butt for not taking before and after pictures of all of my projects.... shucks.

DIY project #1

Mr. & Mrs. sharpie paint mugs

*as promised miss sam askerlund ;)
estimated cost: around 10$ depending on mug cost (mine were 50 cents each!)

Now mine don't look near as pretty as my "pinspiration" mugs, but I think they're pretty darn cute! Oh and I also made one for my dad because it was fathers day!
1. I went to the D.I. and found some plain white mugs.
2. I dropped by the craft store and picked up some red and black oil-pased paint sharpies! Did you know there is such thing?! I was so excited about it! I also bought some clear coat water-resistant spray. (most sharpie mug tutorials don't say much about it so I think it's optional)
3. When I got home I drew up my best immitation of the mugs. One side had words and the other side just had lips and a mustache so it looks like you are wearing them while you drink haha
4. I placed the mugs in the oven and let the mugs heat up WITH the oven so they didn't crack. I baked them for 30 minutes at 350 degrees
5. let the oven cool down while the mugs are still inside.
6. water-resistant spray coat and let dry
VIOLA! All finished! We use them all the time for milk and cookies :)

Pinspiration

My Creation

DIY project #2
Burlap Bow & door Wreath
estimated cost: around 12$ depending on DIY grape vine wreath or store bought

1. Craft store trip! I bought an oval sized grapevine wreath and some polka-dot burlap ribbon! it was so cute I couldn't resist!
2. If you don't already have a glue gun and glue sticks you'll need to get some of those also
3. I made a medium sized circle of burlap ribbon and glued it shut (this was to make the "bow" part)
4. I cut a little strip of burlap and wrapped/glued it around my loop in the middle to create the "pinch"
5. for the tails of the bow I folded the ribbon in half (you could cut it but it does fray a lot) and I glued them to the backside of the bow.
6. I cut little snippits from the bottom of the tails ( to create a V shape at the bottom)

Pinspiration

My creation

DIY project #3

D.I. painted vase (I made mine aqua and red to match our bedspread)

Estimated cost: $3 dollars (seriously my vase was 1$, the ugly bouquet was 1$, and the paint was a whopping 80 cents)

I liked this one a lot because rather than spray-painting over the vase and making it loose it's "glassy look" you just pour the paint inside! It makes it look really cute and fancy!

1. pick up any cute glass vase from D.I. 

2. 80 cent acrylic paint from craft store

3. pour in paint and spin the vase around a little bit. after a while you can just flip the vase upside down and let the paint drip down the sides. it will seem like you need more paint, but trust me... it just goes REALLY slow haha I used way too much and ended up with a pool of paint dried in the bottom when I flipped it back up for a day. 

4. I also found an ugly red-rose bouquet at D.I. which I'm thinking some bride made on her own for her wedding? haha it was ugly... lots of little sparkly thinks poking out and stuff. I just snipped them off

Pinspiration

My creation

DIY project #4
Painting and Distressing D.I. furniture finds
estimated cost: $75 for D.I. furniture $30 for paint, primer, paintbrush

This was a lot of fun for me! my friend Tati helped me out a lot on it. I found some bedside tables and a dresser with "potential" at D.I. for our house and decided I would make them look great! haha so after months of sitting in the garage I started this project.

1. SANDING. It took a long time to sand them but it wasn't too hard. The dresser was real wood so that was lovely to work with! Since the bedside tables were the fake crap we just lightly roughed them up a bit so the paint would stick nicely
2. PRIMER. make sure you always use primer! I think it makes the paint stay on better and if you are distressing it afterwards it gives a nice little white color underneath the paint.
3. paint and distress (the fun part!) After two coats of paint we were ready to rough them up a bit. as if they weren't "rough" before haha We just took a piece of sandpaper and scuffed up the edges here and there. You can do it as little or as much as you want! it's just a matter of opinion.
4. I added new hardware so the drawers could pull in and out easily but most furniture will still be in good condition

My 2 pinspirations (bottom is pottery barn for around 300$)

My creations

I'm still searching for some cute handles for the bottom two drawers

I really wish I would have taken before and after pictures of these!
The dresser was white & had grandma floral on it! haha
and the bedside tables were ugly oak brown color

DIY project #5
Eclectic deer head
estimated cost: $8 (I already had black paint, I just paid for the wood round)

1. I went to the craft store and bought a sanded wood oval for $8
2. I printed out a silhouette of a deer head or any other kind of silhouette you'd like
3. cut out the deer from the paper keeping the paper in tact. you'll be using the paper to paint with, not the cut out.

Pinspiration: being sold on Etsy for 40$

4. tape paper to wood and paint over the empty space making sure that the paper doesn't lift up on the edges or corners
5. gently lift off paper and admire your cute creation :)

my creation

For Cody Ratjar Towse

I'd only met Cody in real life 4 or 5 times. I would still consider he & I to be close though. We would talk very often on facebook or through texts. Even after he left for Afghanistan  he would still think of me occasionally and ask me how I was doing. See that's the thing about Cody, he was ALWAYS thinking of other people. Cody taught me a lot of things about life:
1. how to longboard.... SAFELY, with a helmet. haha
2. how to treat a woman. Guys, I hope you took notes when Cody was around, because he treated every single girl with the most respect. He was a gentleman in the highest form.
3. he taught me how to be hilariously sarcastic & how to tell an inappropriate joke without worrying about what others think. He was one of the funniest people I have ever met in my life.
4. he taught me how to make a sandwich the right way. haha if there isn't mustard on it, he isn't eating it. the bread was a little dry too.
5. he taught me to always look for the good & positive in everything. The "silver lining" of the rain cloud. I don't recall him ever having a bad attitude.
6. he taught me to use urbandictionary as a resource when I couldn't figure out his ridiculous words or phrases

I remember him telling me once about the time an arm got stuck in the folding chair machine at partyland..... hahaha or the multiple times crashing on his longboard. I lived right next door to the Genola fire station so I would see him sometimes doing drills & hosing down burning cars for training. He would tell me about his dad a lot. According to Cody their relationship was solid. He loved his dad so much. They did so much together. He took me on a date once after a basketball game. The entire time we were in the car he was belting Moulin Rouge at the top of his lungs. He didn't care what I thought, and because of his carelessness to what others think about him, I learned that concept also. I learned that no matter what, people will think things about you or say rude things that aren't true, but as long as you know who you are and you know that you are a great person then who cares? Cody is a great person. He touched so many lives that he probably doesn't even realize. His affect on my family was huge & they barely knew him. My sister probably talked to him more than I did these past months. He would always joke that he & I would get married one day. That we would write each other while he was away haha and then he would return and we would have a big family. hahaha I'm sure he told all of the girls that, but he knew how to make me feel special and loved.

a little something something that cody made for me hahahahaha

I couldn't help but bawl my eyes out when I read the news article. I thought it couldn't be true. In fact many of my friends messaged me and asked me if it was a sick joke. When my old best friend Chloe called me on the phone to ask what happened we both broke down in sobbing tears. How could someone so great and loving be taken away so quickly and harshly? He was trying to save another life while he lost his own. That's honor. That's heart. That's dedication to protecting this country and fulfilling his duties. I can't help but think that Cody is in Heaven right now worrying about all of us down here on earth. He was so completely selfless. He's a hero in every sense of the meaning of the word. I will miss him very much and I will always think of him when I see a bottle of mustard, a partyland, a longboard, or anything army related. He will be in our hearts forever.

Don't take life for granted. Cherish it every single day. Live with a positive attitude. Love one another.

Everyone is a Reader

When we find the time, or rather, MAKE the time to read, we enjoy life.

Read on the beach while on vacation

Read in bed late at night when you know you should be sleeping because you've got an early morning ahead of you. Just ONE more chapter has got to be read before your brain shuts off for the night.

Read in the kitchen while your breakfast waits for you to finish a couple more pages.

Read until you find a good spot to fold over the corner of the page. start reading again from where you left off as soon as you find the opportunity.

Read on a Saturday when your room is a mess & you KNOW you should be spending your time doing homework.

Read in the car while waiting for someone.

Read the newspaper, the textbooks, the thoughts of others.

Read on the plane ride. Such an uncomfortable red eye flight soothed over with a few wonderful chapters engulfed before arrival.

Read on the couch with dogs cuddled at your feet in a blanket.

When the book is so good that you can't put it down, read between classes or during work. Read in the cracks of the time between commitments and responsibilities.

I've even found myself reading prior to the lights dimming in the movie theater.

Reading in the back of the truck shell for a long family drive.

Bringing my book into the restaurant and reading underneath the table while everyone is overlooking their menus.

Reading is so important. Read to improve your mind. Read to improve your dreams. Read to improve your perspective on life. Read to enter into a new world in order to escape the one you're in for a while. Read to meet new people that only exist in perfectly crafted words on pages. Read to explore new places. Read to feel.

MOM Y U DO THIS 2 US?

My mom does this strange thing where she mixes things. Let's say there is a little bit of apple juice left, a little bit of grapefruit juice left, and a lot of koolaid left.... what does she do? she puts it all in the koolaid. Do we notice? yes. I swear one time she mixed milk into it. It makes my little brothers so mad hahaha okay & this morning she put out a bowl of cereal for me since I was running late and in my head I was like "sweet! lucky charms!" then I realized it was lucky charms WITH fruity pebbles. haha YUM....? When she puts away leftovers from dinner she won't put the veggies, meat, potatoes or pasta in separate containers...why would she do a silly thing like that? No, she'll put them all in the same Tupperware because she can. I don't know if anyone else's mothers do this.... but Anne Marie sure does! haha she's so funny!

Diet December

Okay, so it's not really a "diet" exactly. It's more of a change of diet. I consume soooo much sugar/carbs every day because, well duh, because it's delicious! I have the worst sweet tooth. I could eat a gallon of ice cream a day & be just happy as can be. My new goal is to exchange sweets for healthy, naturally sweet alternatives. I am also trying to cut back on white breads and add more veggies to my diet. It's been hard already since it's December and there are yummy treats EVERYWHERE! I will admit, I haven't been perfect haha but I have done pretty good so far! Plus my mom is ALWAYS buying treats. I'm also working out everyday and trying to drink LOTS of water! I feel really good and it's only the start! I hope that I can continue this change of diet past December and stick with it! Healthy = happy! :) oh & I've also taken up doing zumba in the office! Don't tell my dad! I'm on the clock!

P.S. THIS MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT I'M GOING TO HAWAII SOON.....

Skinny Berry smoothie: Kale, wheat grass, berries, and apple juice!

Drinking Healthy @ work LOL thanks Breeanna!

UM YEAH. hahaha

Anytime I crave ice cream or fro-yo, I'll go for this instead! TRU-berry all healthy, organic yogurt! There was even spinach in this!

with the Sound of Music

Music fills the cracks of the soul. Bored, sad, mad, confused, hurt, in love, in need of inspiration, in need of comfort, or just about any other emotion you can think of, music can fix. I guess fix is the wrong word, emotions should not be looked at as a bad thing. Emotions are good. We need to feel every now and then. Don't let yourself become numb to emotions. I guess the word I could have used is "aid". Music aids us. It doesn't even matter what genre you listen to, what unknown artist you found, or where you are when you listen. Music in general helps our emotions flow & even out. It's like plopping half of the tub of icing on the cake and then taking a knife and spreading it all over to make it look pretty. My anger is just piled up in one place and it's all I can think about, until I turn on music. While listening my mind wonders, thus spreading the emotion thinner, making my angry emotion pretty. Anger can't be pretty? I think it can. Music helps the soul realize what really matters. Sometimes songs without lyrics can be even more enriching. Whether you are curled up in a ball in bed, hunched over a steering wheel in the car at night, or shaving your legs in the shower, listening to music is always a release. A release from stressing an emotion too much. a "break" from how you feel. Listen to music often. Even better, create it. My little brother sings in the shower daily. It's hilarious, he's awful. I love to hear it though. Music makes us dance. From sheepishly tapping your foot to booty clappin' in the kitchen, music creates the mood. Over Thanksgiving break my cousins and I were hanging out at my grandparents house. It was getting late and we were getting bored. In n out was closed. My grandpa offered to make his famous "papa pancakes." hahaha it was so funny, we were all stoked. My cousin threw her ipod into the speakers & the house turned into an all out dance party. A Pancake-Dance Party! Everyone was dancing and laughing, even grandma and grandpa. My grandpa went over to the light switch and started flickering it on and off yelling, "STROBE LIGHT!" hahaha It was awesome. Music created a memory. Music creates many memories in our lives. I think God gave us music in order for us to be able to explore our minds. I know when I hear church music I feel the spirit. Music aids our feelings. Use music to your advantage.

Vanilla Coke. What is... happiness?

If you understood that my blog title was meant to be read like a jeopardy question, good job. I haven't posted in a while & I've lost my mojo a little bit... so here's a post about all the things that make me happy & keep me sane lately...


- obviously vanilla coke
- people who buy me vanilla coke (thank you...)
- Breeanna Gibson. no she does not have a middle name.
- Chance Manzanares.
- cute dates
- the fact that LisaFrank stuff is coming back in style via urban outfitters
- the leather pants I got from target
- studs (the ones you put on clothes and shoes, not the human kind)
- my frumpy, ugly, worn out Roxy slippers
- NOT doing anything with my hair. (wavy, poofy hair is sexy... right?)
- funny people. oh what would I do without funny people?
- Thoughtful blog posts written by my friends/twitter friends. THANK YOU.
- Grey hair. it's cool & I think I might do it. YO ella bella, if you do it, I'll do it. no joke.
- Skulls & sugar skulls (I'm a poser, I know.)
- The movie Wreck it Ralph. haha seriously go watch it. It's so cute.
- Rock of Ages and the soundtrack. um hello?! I LOVE THE 80'S OKAY?!
- My banana suit (for obvious reasons)
- Pumpkin, chocolate chip anything
- the fact that I somewhat cleaned my room & I can see the floor now
- NOT shaving
- my gymnasts. holy cow. I love them so much.
- HOLIDAYS
- my second job as a hiking instructor. It's been awesome.
- Zumba is cool I guess
- the fact that I will be going to school & socializing next semester
- Jedi when he wears his where's waldo outfit. & when he gets mad about others having the same one.

There are probably a lot more that I can't think of at the moment... but yeah. I'm HAPPY RIGHT NOW. I haven't really been myself for the past little while & I'm finally starting to get back in the groove of life again.I love you all. thank you.