Champagne for a year Gift

congratulations!

One wedding gift I like to give if I am in the wedding or for those close friends that enjoy the bubbly is 12 months of champagne basket.  Who says the party should stop once the wedding is over? This gifts lets the bride and groom celebrate each month anniversary during the first year of marriage. It is a cute and easy project and depending on your craft skills you can make this gift as elaborate and customized as you like!

All you need is: 

-a large sturdy basket (those bottles get heavy)

-tissue paper, bags or plastic air cushions to help protect bottles/give support to display

-12 mini champagne bottles they usually come in packs of 4

-ribbon

-hole puncher

-12 tags for months- i used cute scrapbook paper 

-champagne glasses (optional addition)

First find a large sturdy basket that will hold all 12 bottles. I liked using a rectangle basket, the bottles seemed to fit inside it the best. Next design the tags.

making the tags

The tags were pretty easy to make. I used scrap book paper and made circles with numbers in publisher program...sorry I can't get it to upload a copy to add to post. I attached them to the bottles using curling ribbon.

these had quite a distance to travel so the cases came in handy

To fill the basket I used tissue paper (lots), plastic bags, and the air cushion pillows you get in shipments to hep prop up the bottles and keep them from rolling all over the place. 

so cute!

You can also make a sampler of different champagne types and add glasses too! I've also made tags that are related to the seasons or themed around their wedding colors. The sky's the limit on how you want to customize this. 

*12 months of celebration champagne sampler*

I have to give credit to my sister's friend Cassity for this awesome idea. Thank you. It has been a blast making these baskets and I hope you can use this idea to!

World Date-Indian

For our next world date we thought it was time to bring a little heat to this frigid weather and enjoy food with spices and some activities of India. We started the date off with chai tea lattes and wandered around World Market to collect some goodies for the rest of the date!

favorite brand and sauces. Usually at grocery store too!

There are a lot of different options for great Indian food in the area but I found a recipe for Naan bread and wanted to try our hand at making our own food. I wasn't as adventurous as trying to make my own curry, but did branch out to try the Korma sauce (Tikka Masala is usually my go to) over shredded chicken and basmati rice. This is my new absolute favorite! It's a smooth coco-nutty sweet and savory all at the same time...hmm maybe I'll make that for lunch this week.

finish product sooo good!

Making Naan (unleavened bread) was way easier than I thought. Ingredients are super simple and it is so much fun to watch it bubble up. Find the recipe here: Budge Bytes Naan The only differences we did was use warm water to prepare the yeast and made our pieces a lot smaller to speed up how many we could cook at a time.

getting the dough ready

bubble bubble

While we waited for the dough to rise (takes about 45 min) we played chess. Did you know that chess is thought to have originated in Eastern India in the 6th century. It was based on four divisions of military-infantry, cavalry, elephants and chariots. Over time those would evolve into the modern pawn, knight, bishop and rook. I was demolished but looking forward to brushing up on some techniques and playing again.

After dinner we thought yoga would be great to work off some of that yummy food. Both of us practice but in all our time dating we've never done yoga together. It was tons of fun! I got a couple's yoga book for ideas of two person positions.  Some of the positions ended us up in a tangled heap I think they would work only if you were part gumby! I can barely do tree by myself what was I thinking trying to balance holding on to another person ha! We also did a  few vinyasa ideas from online and overall we had a great session .

For a few starter ideas check out cheat sheets or other yoga positions from ashtangayoga.info. They have a great finishing series and each position comes with pictures and descriptions. Great tool for beginners, refreshers, and on the go.

Some of movies set in India

Top left to bottom right: Slumdog Millionaire (great story), Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (quirky but cute), Jodhaa Akbar (amazing 3 hour bollywood film: the fight scenes, costumes, sets it's all so grand!) Eat Pray Love...book is better but it doesn't have Javier Bardem swoon* 

To end the night we watched Slumdog Millionaire, there are so many different movies set in India or Bollywood films. Bollywood is like Hollywood except way bigger producers that makes Hindi films. Usually they have a lot of dance, great costumes and a love story. I love them and the cheesier the better sometimes. If you want to see a list of top 10 bollywood films check out this page.

We had such a fun time on this date and will for sure be keeping this meal on regular rotation as well as trying to find time to practice yoga together more often.

Want some background music while cooking? I searched top Bollywood Songs2013 on youtube lots and to choose from and set the mood!

Brite Winter Festival and more

There is so much going on this weekend in Cleveland! Here are just a few things to do

Thursday Night is Science After Dark:Attraction
This Thursday come to the Great Lakes Science Center for some adult fun. I'll be there!

What does seduction smell like? Is beauty in the eye of the beholder or is it simply mathematics? Does naked yoga make you feel more attractive? Is there science behind a broken heart? Discover the answers to these questions and more at this adults-only evening where you can explore the edgier side of science with an aphrodisiac-inspired cocktail in hand – just in time to celebrate (or protest) Valentine’s Day! More information here

Brite Winter Fest is on it 5th year.  From 4-11pm on Saturday February 15th there will be games, food trucks, fire pits, artwork, and a ton of music (over 70 artists) in Ohio City. Plus its free what more can you want? Here is last year's recap video:2013 video

I had a blast last year and the chilly/snowy weather did not shut it down. There are different music venues all throughout the area both indoor and outdoor. It was kinda cool to listen to a band from inside a bicycle store or in a brewery. Be warned parking was pretty tough so plan for lots of time or get down there early. I only wish this year I could go, have fun for me!

Future event to look out for: April 12th will be Yuri's Night at the Science Center.

Tickets are going on sale this weekend!. It's night of space themed fun celebrating the first person in space. Adult beverages, great music, black light lounge, space costume contests and run of the museum all night long. It'll be a party that out of this world! I worked it last year and vowed to attend this year because it was a blast. I'll be getting my tickets tomorrow night More info here

#26 The Abominal Snowblower

I have always liked power tools and the smell of fresh cut lumber puts an extra spring in my step. I don't shy away from driving the riding lawnmower, attempting to wrangle the heavy duty gas powered leaf blower, and can somewhat comprehend how to change over the house to a generator if need be. Over the past two years I have been having extreme difficulties with our snow blower.

Now this is not just any dinky snow blower, I'm proficient with a basic one.This particular machine is nicknamed "the beast" by my dad. It is 10 horsepower, 24 inches wide, 6 speeds of pure metal machine able to take down all levels of lake effect snow. All season long I have tried my best to tame the beast. 

 With multiple tutorials from my dad I still could never manage to get it going, hold down all the levers, and turn knobs to direct snow flow and steer at the same time. Phew my hand is cramping just thinking about it! Last year was a complete flop as it might have gotten away from me (what can I say in mittens I'm all thumbs) but it was an ugly bush anyways.

Boss Savannah Kitty is checking my progress

 First attempt this season with the step by step run down fresh in my mind...Beast wouldn't start. Haha there is an electric start option I will not be defeated so easy! I promptly got one swipe done and it no longer would grind. hmm no luck I hung my head and shame and put it back in the garage and let my dad handle it in the morning.

hand shoveled about half of this and said who I am I kidding!

Second attempt couldn't get it started even with electric start option harumph it was only 1 degree outside. Third attempt: as luck would have it my dad was out of town and we got a good 5+inches overnight. I started to shovel by hand, crazy idea and decided today is the day...I will conquer the beast!

woot woot

She started right up like a beauty and while it wasn't the prettiest job I was able to finish all of the drive and sidewalks! Yes I stopped before getting too cocky as the spout kept getting gummed up with wet snow. This made me think about and item on my list: build a snowman. I've been thwarted recently from completing because the snow has been so odd this year terrible packing snow not to mention the negative double digit windchill. 

got another 4 inches today alone!

I thought this heavy wet snow had all the makings of great snowman snow.  You never know when the last snowfall will hit. Who am I kidding this is Cleveland we will have snowfalls at least until St Patricks day. I totally misjudged this snow and it was terribly grainy and fine. Not a great start.

Tada item #26 complete!

Sigh making a snowman seemed so much easier as a kid! I sure my neighbors were watching me and thinking why is a grown woman on her hands and knees in the yard? Sorry folks just trying to make a snowman. Since I was feeling extra accomplished after my snow blowing and the temperature was above 25 degrees I would not give up. With a lot of elbow grease I was able to pack together enough snow create a mini snowwoman. I can't help but smile when I look out the window at it. Maybe as it warms up a bit I can gather a few more people to help build a bigger one. Until then it was fun to take a break from everyday life and be a kid again.

Time to go snow blow again...I'd help but I'm still tired just watching!