Angelala

Easy Peasy Gift Ideas

2011-02-17T17:28:00.000-06:00

So V-Day has come and gone but tweak or tuck these gift ideas for a rainy day, an "every day, I love you" gift, or next year.

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Brownies
I made these for Nick for Valentine's Day. I cut them into small-ish (holy moly are they rich!) sizes, wrapped them in saran wrap and tied a red ribbon around them. I took brown paper lunch bags (five of them) and stamped random love sayings on them. For example, "Chocolate spells love in any language." He shared them with me so it was as much for me as it was for him.

FYI, heavy whipping cream is the same as heavy cream....I think. At least, I used heavy whipping cream and they turned out spectacular.

Conversation Blocks
I can attest to the simplicity of this craft. Momma Michelle and I, in the midst of three other crafts, made these. We would paint, switch crafts while paint dries and then go back later. Each craft had it's own room.

Portable Tea Party
For little ones with a love imagination, making accessories for their tea party would be a frugal, imaginative way to show you care.

Cookie Cups

2010-07-11T13:43:00.002-05:00

On one of our mall excursions (in order to avoid the heat), Nick and I walked past a cookie place and saw cookie cupcakes. Not actually cupcakes but actually big huge cookie cupcake shaped blobs. Both of us had mouths hanging open, practically drooling over said cookie cups. The conversation went a little something like this.

"Wouldn't those be awesome at the wedding?" says Angelala.

"Wouldn't those be awesome now?" says Mr. O.

"We could make those," Angelala said.

"Totally," replies Mr. O.

So last night, we attempted to create them. We knew they wouldn't turn out perfectly. We were experimenting. We ended up with mixed results but delicious results nonetheless. So what did we do?

We started by making good ol' Toll House Chocolate Chip recipe. And by we, I of course mean me. Here's what Nick was doing.

Yeah....I don't know either.

Now being that I'm, well, me. Something will go wrong. Yeah, well no real measuring cups or teaspoons/tablespoons. It happens with only guys in the house. Had to estimate for some stuff. I was just glad they had an electric hand mixer and I didn't have to kill my arms stirring by hand.

The results:

We're good at sharing. That's a fire extinguisher...good handy spot. Sorry but I didn't need to use it. Not that exciting.

Nick got greedy eating the cookie dough and was banished out of the kitchen with the dog.

I promise I let him back in the kitchen right after he promised to stop stealing the dough.

We just put the dough in a muffin pan. Sprayed the crap out of that thing. You really don't need the little muffin paper cups....just makes it harder to eat later.

Before and After baking:

We cooked the first batch at 325 degrees for about 15(ish) minutes. The second batch was 300 for a little longer and it worked better. Sadly, they deflated in the centers about three minutes after taking them out of the oven. But that was ok...

We had some cream cheese frosting. We even made, that's right, made our own pastry bag out of a ziploc bag with a hole cut in the bottom corner.

So in the end, here's what we learned.

Need to add baking powder in lieu of baking soda.

They don't need to be so big. Seriously, it's like eating three cookies....After one it's like a sugar overload.

Keep the temp at 300 and cook them longer.

You can use the baking powder and use the cookie cup as an actual cup....for ice cream perhaps! YUM!!

If you have any other ideas to make them look prettier (cause they taste awesome), please let me know. Or if you try them out, I'd love to see/hear your results!

Greetings from Philly

2010-07-10T10:43:00.000-05:00

Tiny alley in Philly

I have an ingenious blog in store for you tomorrow. I wish I could give it to you today but it's a baking blog.

Unfortunately, we are out of flour. I had every intention of walking the few blocks to the store but it's a-raining in the City of Brotherly Love and Nick has the car today! Not that I am complaining....it has been unbelievably, record breaking hot recently. The last week has consisted of freezing cold showers, loitering at the mall (in order to bogart the AC) and take-out (turning on the oven was painful). So, tune in tomorrow for a hopefully productive and effective cookie deliciousness.

A Day in the Country is Worth a Month in Town

2010-06-29T14:29:00.000-05:00

Streets of Philly

Angelala is currently stationed in Philadelphia PA for three weeks visiting Nick. Now before first coming out to Philadelphia in December of 2008, Minneapolis was the biggest city I'd ever been in. And in those instances, I was sheltered to shopping malls and the like. My first trip to Philly involved my first plane ride and a day trip to New York City.

Now, I've lived in rural Iowa all of my life. Pig confinements are the stinkiest things I've had to deal with. My mom and I regularly get stopped at the store by someone we know. There is only one decent coffee shop in town.

My extended, bi-yearly trips to Philly have really opened my eyes to the reality of city living. Since I was a history major in college, the importance of Philadelphia on American history isn't lost on me. I am truly lucky to see this city before entering a classroom to teach. My first trip here was a history nerd's dream with the hot spots. This is my third trip since then and I've done most of the history stuff. I've been experiencing big city living these days.

Today I went on a trip to the grocery store by myself to get a few things for dinner tonight. Nick moved since I was here last I was here so this was a new adventure for me. I walked the five blocks or so to the store. Not sure if you know this...but it is unbelievably hot in Philly! I don't want to sound like a complete country bumpkin. I'm not ignorant or (extremely) naive. But the cultural difference is a huge change. A Kosher section in the grocery store?! Not in Iowa. I stood and stared at the matza balls. Center City (basically downtown) and the olde city are the tourist-y places in the city. The difference between those areas and the real Philadelphia is blatant. The picture above is a quick snap I took on my home from the store. It was relatively clean compared to other streets in the neighborhood. One thing I can't convey to you is the smell.....downtown smells rank. In this neighborhood, the smell is like a carnival....sweat mixed with something sweet like a funnel cake mixed with gasoline. The combination that makes your stomach roll after a few minutes of smelling it.

It amazing how one city can be so many different things to different people. Two years ago, Philadelphia was a wonderful, exciting city to me. To Nick, it was the means to end for an education. To the tourists, walking through the historic district today....well it's a hot sticky mess full of Ben Franklin statues!

Crafting Class...Say wha?!

2010-06-23T20:20:00.000-05:00

First of all, I must tell you that I'm blogging from 30 thousand feet on an airtran flight to Philly by way of Atlanta by way of Minneapolis. Very cool and making my six hours of flights less painful.

My exciting news of the day (besides the entertaining flights) include my craftiness. I will be teaching a series of green crafts at the Rustic Corner (RC) on Main in Charles City Iowa. The first class will be on July 20th from 5:00pm- 6:30pm at the Rustic Corner's new location on main street in Charles City.

You may be asking what the topic of this class will be....well, I'll tell you!
The class will be a T-shirt necklace. To test out this creation's viability, my dear friend Kelsey and I took a night to create it over wine and beer plus vegan din-din.

Since I'm teaching a class on this...I can't give away all the gory details but here is how it started...

And here is how it ended!! with Kels drinking beer

If you want to sign up for the class (16 person limit) or have any questions, check out the RC on Main.
Should you sadly miss the class, have no desire to put the work into it, or both, they will most likely be on sale from angelaladesigns after the class is over.

Cinnamon Pizza

2010-06-14T08:31:00.001-05:00

My mom has made this pizza for years! It is a wonderful, quick morning (or afternoon) treat. Believe me, it goes fast. Here is how old the recipe is....

Recipe:

1 stick of margarine (to cut back on calories, it helps to cut the butter in half.)

1 cup of sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. of vanilla

1 tsp of cinnamon

2 tablespoons of flour

Melt your butter

Add your massive amounts of sugar

Mmm cinnamon

Throw in your vanilla. FYI don't ever drink vanilla. It doesn't taste like vanilla.

I threw in the egg and flour. Pre-mixed

This is the crust we use. Just follow the directions on the bag.

Pour your mix on the crust.

Cook the pizza at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

The finished product...delicious, cinnamon-y goodness.

If you are like me and enjoy eating the yumminess as you go, you probably look like this. Who doesn't love eating raw eggs? :)

Rin tin tin...Can...Pincushion

2010-06-07T07:00:00.001-05:00

How freakin' adorable is this picture?!

I was wandering through blogland this afternoon but I came across a wonderfully adorable blog named Living With Punks. Now with a name like that...how could I not read all of it! She had an adorable tin can pincushion tutorial that was just about as precious as can be. Her tutorial is so well written and very self explanatory. I decided I had to make it this afternoon. She covered her almond can fabric...I did pink paisley scrapbook paper I got at a garage sale on friday. She used fiberfill but I didn't have any and with no patience, I couldn't wait til I got some. So I used batting and a few layers of foam stuff Mom had.

Here's what you need for supplies:

Remember what I always say...if you are going to mod podge something, you mod podge the crap out of it!

But like always, I ripped and wrinkled the paper in a few places. I just covered them with fabric polka dots and flowers.

You don't need to measure out how much fabric you will need I just cut a big square out and trimmed any off that made it look weird or lumpy in places.

After you have super filled your can, tuck all the edges inside and voila!

You must be lucky....jeans

2010-06-06T16:53:00.001-05:00

My newest obsession is reading recyclart.org, a blog for those who don't like to read....looking at pretty pictures is good enough for them. I saw a purse made of old pants and fell in love. Unfortunately when I clicked on the link to said pants purse...the instructions were in Swedish. At least, I thought it was Swedish. It looked like something that belonged on an IKEA box. So I decided I would wing it and just start making the purse. I'm sure any true sewers would be gasping at me right now. I began with a vague idea of what I wanted and let the rest spill out of my brain as I went. How did I start? With the jeans, of course. We have a huge box of old jeans in the dungeon of our house for my Mom's jean quilt (which she will begin when she finally has time...busy woman that one.) I nabbed the only pair of Lucky jeans I ever owned (hand-me-downs for one of my sisters). Although I haven't worn them in years, it was hard to cut them up. I love all the personality of them...like inside the zipper "Lucky You" and the clovers all over the inside of the pockets...but I bit the bullet and did it.

I started this making this purse with the idea that it would be simple and a nice afternoon project. It turned out otherwise...full of decisions and frustrations. But I finally got it done...after ripping out the liner once, recutting the length of the purse, taking a day off because the fabric was making my brain feel as thought it was dissolving, settling for black thread on white and red fabric because I was too tired to search, deciding half way through I didn't even like the idea anymore, questioning my hippie-dippie ways and finally laughing at myself and finishing the dumb thing!

I wanted it to be fifteen inches long....

Eventually, I figured out that it needed to be shorter. The jeans need to be cut close to the crotch to actually work and even then can be difficult to maneuver.

The simplest part of this project was sewing the bottom of the jeans together. I tried to figure out out to easily make the bottom of the purse flat...then gave up deciding it wasn't worth it.

In some of the inspiration photos I looked at, they didn't line the inside of the purse. I couldn't let myself not line the inside. It would always seem unfinished. Because I used the Lucky jeans, I wanted the lining to match the red tag in the back of the jeans. Mom just happened to have this red and white checkered fabric laying around the craft room with no use. I lovingly gave it a use. It used to be a liner for a laundry basket before Mom demolished it to use it as a pattern for a new one. I was very lucky that it was just about the perfect size for the purse. I only had to trim a little.

I'm a messenger bag kind of girl. My favorite purse is a messenger bag and i wanted this purse to have that same feel to it. I used the legs to make straps. I cut the fabric at five inches with one inch seems so the actual straps are three inches wide.

Originally i wanted to put a ring on the end so I could have adjustable straps but because of the legs not being all that long...damn my stubby legs....the straps weren't long enough to accommodate the ring. As an after thought (after the rest of the bag was completely done), I hand stitched some extra Velcro on the ends of the straps.

Here's what the inside of the purse looks like with some stuff already thrown in there!

Please forgive my wardrobe...hello crafting, Sunday lounge clothes

Hello purse, Angelala's butt, and what appears to be a cleaning product/door stop.

I would love to be able to give a play by play on the steps to complete this product but to be honest, I totally made it up as I went along with very little measuring. For instance, I have no idea how long the straps how. I used as much as I could from what was left of the legs. At some point, I lost the ability to sew in a straight line and it's rather crooked. I'm not even sure if I like the purse yet but I plan on using it until I grow to love it. If you chose to try this project, try things out. You could make a clutch, messenger bag (as I did), regular two strapped purse, or even (if you are brave) a little backpack.

In the end, the purse cost nothing and is a good upcycle project!
Supplies needed:
Old jeans
Fabric scissors
thread
sewing machine (optional...you could do this by hand...frustrating but doable)
fabric (preferably cotton) (again optional...you don't have to line it)
velcro (optional)

The Evolution of my Engagement Ring

2010-06-05T14:47:00.001-05:00

I remember high school...sitting in study hall with a few friends at a computer ogling large, princess cut engagement rings. Rings that had fake personality. By fake personality, I mean they were busy enough to be interesting but seemed empty and manufactured.

As I grew older, my hippie-ness and love for all things old/vintage evolved as well. But for some reason my picture perfect lifeless ring never changed. As Nick and I started talking more and more about our future together and an eventual engagement, I did more research into rings. This is when my perfect ring became tainted. All of a sudden, it was critical to me that my ring not be a "blood diamond". I informed Nick that I wanted a Canadian diamond, which are ethically mined, or a moissanite. Moissanite is a lab created diamond which in my head is perfect but if you had suggested that to me five years ago, I would have looked at you appalled. "A fake diamond? Not on my hand, thank you very much." The fact of the matter is that moissanite diamonds look exactly the same and why should that even matter....why do you even need a diamond engagement ring in the first place? Because the Man tells you that's what you need...but I digress. If you want to learn more about moissanite: go here. Because of the nature of the mining, Canadian (or any other ethical mining areas) diamonds are more expensive. Moissanite is cheaper than natural diamonds. I also informed Nick that I didn't want a very expensive ring. I would be afraid to wear it. What's the point of a huge ring? To show everyone that you have money? Thanks but I'm not that materialistic.

There are other types of rings that would have fit into my category of ethically appropriate rings which I always kept Nick in the loop of. An antique ring would be wonderful. I started learning more about the categories of rings and the era they were created in. I fell in love with art deco jewelry in general, not just the engagement rings.

At one point, I had seen and learned just about everything I needed to know on the jewelry I would even consider. I had told Nick all the things I would like and why they were important to me. In the end though, it would be his decision and I must say, he done good! When Nick proposed, .I was so excited to hear that it came from an antique/estate jewelry store in upstate New York.

Today I have been engaged for over four months. I have yet to lose my ring and still regularly try on the matching wedding band, not so patiently waiting for the day when I can really wear it. I still look at it with excitement and hope I will always feel that rush of glee when I look at it. I often find myself thinking of the woman who wore it before I did, wondering what her story was and hoping that it was a happy one. Since I got it, we have had happy and sad moments, moments where it was dunked in paint, fawned over my family and friends, and lovingly slipped over my finger by a wonderful man.

Here is the ring the night he proposed. :)

Frogs and Princes...in Azeri

2010-05-27T21:58:00.001-05:00

Kelsey, who is one of Nick's bestest friends, has recently been hijacked...by me. She is originally from the town that I know currently reside in. So we have taken advantage of our similar goofy scarf lovin' personalities and joined forces on a restaurant/booze tour of the surrounding area. She has become one of my dear friends recently and am so lucky that she is stuck in northern Iowa.

Just this week, Kelsey asked me to do a favor for her. Wrack my creative brain for a way to display a sticker she obtained while in the Peace Corps...aka the third world....aka Azerbaijan. The sticker is written in Azeri and says something to the effect of kissing multiple frogs to find a prince. Kelsey bought a frame and gave me creative freedom on the endeavor and I hope she likes it...since I worked my patootie off for her! Her only requests were no hearts or kissy lips and she wanted it to be classy. Well, it is heart and lip free with hopefully a touch of class and a few subtle goofy elements that reflect Kelsey's essence.

Step 1: Get a crazy friend willing to go to the third world

Step 2: Collect your supplies

Mine included the picture frame Kelsey got at Hobby Lobby. I wasn't a big fan of the color or the smiling fake people in the frame. I was thankful she gave me full reign of the project.

The next supply was the book that I planned to destroy in my attempt at Azeri greatness. Not going to lie I felt wrong and dirty tearing pages out of a book even if it was a terrible book that I got for 10 cents at the second hand store in town. I wanted to get something funny and this book had some hilarious parts.

Originally I wanted to get a super old book that was all yellowed and cracked with age. Unfortunately, all the books were in good condition...seems like an odd thing to complain about, I know. So in order to properly age the book I was destroying, I used distress ink (vintage photo) to make the chunks of paper look really, super old.

Mod Podge...you are the bain of my existence and you smell. But I made it through the trial of using this gunky mess of a glue without great incident.

Step 3: Choose pages wisely

I wanted pages without a lot of text. There were few chunks I used that are not simple to read once placed on the frame. But the word 'poison' 'blood' 'lifesaving' and 'medical' are all easily read.

Step 4: Distressing your paper

You don't want me to try to explain this process. Let's just say it's more complicated than slamming the stamp on the paper.

Step 5: Mod Podge your paper on the frame

This is going to take you awhile. I covered the front and back of the frame with the paper chunks. It is important to go over the finished paper with the mod podge. I went over it twice...because I'm anal like that. So just mod podge the crap out of that thing!

Step 6: Sticker and Cardstock meet up

This is the sticker that Kelsey brought back. I placed it on some cardstock that matched the color of the lettering perfectly. I used some of the distressed ink to give it some age as well. I had to cut off the edges of the sticker because they were a little big but not much. I made it lopsided as well.

At some point in the process, I injured myself. Man, Kels better appreciate this.

The final product:

This is it from afar. The first picture at the top of this post is a close up that I absolutely love of the frame and the trim (Step 7). The trim (1 yard) was cut and stuck on with glue dots I tore in half. Each section of trim had three halves in various locations depending on necessity.

Now my attempts to walk you through my crafts step by step are at the very least awkward and the most, confusing but I hope everyone enjoys this one. I am so completely proud of this display of azeri/frog pride!

Living with Lupus...School

2010-05-07T07:11:00.000-05:00

This topic can be broken down into high school and college for me since I have been sick since I was 16 years old. High school was hard for me because I was trying to get control and understand what I was facing....years of pain and well, (this is cliche but) heartache.

In high school, I missed a lot of days and still managed to successfully accomplish everything I wanted to. I was lucky enough to have a school nurse who was so understanding and helpful. I had what was called a 504 plan which is the equivalent for a person with a chronic illness to an Individualized Education Plan for a person with a learning disability, etc. Basically, the 504 was a how to when I'm sick. It told my teachers: how long I had to finish assignments, what to do if I had a stroke during class, and any other accommodations I would need. But I missed out on a lot of my high school experience. I stayed home most nights and didn't really have fun with friends until after graduation.

When it came to college, I really wanted to attend a university that was a few hours from home. Realistically, I couldn't have done it then. My illness was too out of control and I wouldn't have made it without my family's help. So I relented and went to a community college close to home. I was dreading going to this school but I loved it and miss it! The instructors were amazing and understanding and the sense of community was wonderful. Luckily, we moved right before my sophomore year of college and I was right in the middle of the school I was going to and the school I planned to attend after graduating. Driving wouldn't be an issue and I would live at home for the rest of my college experience.

The things that really helped my college experience was Vocational Rehabilitation and disability services. Voc Rehab is a program that enables people with disabilities and illness go to school by paying for part of their tuition. Because of the severity of my Lupus and APS, I was accepted right away and they have paid half my tuition throughout college. This doesn't take a lot of work on my part. Both colleges I've gone to have had Voc. Rehab counselors who I met with once per semester to touch base and make sure everything is going smoothly.

Disability services was an entire department in college #2. In number #1, it was one woman who was so helpful! The process at both schools was pretty much the same; the only real difference, at number #2, more paperwork...of course. I would fill out papers for each of my classes that consisted of my need for extensions in some areas when I was sick. In my four years of college, a dozen or so flares and countless bad, bad days, I missed one assignment! This semester I didn't even fill out paperwork (cause I forgot...brain fog). The bad part is that I have to talk to all my professors individually to explain the paperwork. I had to start the semester with a new person telling them I might be gone for two weeks worth of class. College professors don't like to hear that but they need to know right away so they can make accommodations for you!

My advice to my Lupus peeps (and anyone with a chronic illness) in college is to get some reliable contacts...I will always be thankful for that nurse who told me about vocational rehabilitation! Most likely your campus will have a disability service, make an appointment. In my experience, they are so willing to help! Be advised: they will likely require documentation of your illness. I wrote a quick email to my hematologist who wrote a short letter and sent it to the college.

Good luck on your college journey!

Personal update: School is done! I finished everything without staying up til all hours of the night like my college counterparts who might need to learn to prioritize! Oh, and I'm going to be an aunt! My sister and brother in law who have been trying for years to get pregnant just found out!

Monogram Fun, School Break

2010-04-30T07:49:00.003-05:00

I have been so crazy busy with school I haven't had time to craft which is really depressing. Yesterday my last class of the day was canceled so I took that hour to make something fun! I have been wanting to make a monogram for Nick and I to display at the wedding and maybe display in our future home.

I started with two black wooden letters. Mom and I got them on one of our garage sale excursions. They came in a big box full of letters that Mom got to make something (she still doesn't know what she wants to make...wonder where I get that from?). I managed to snag the N and the A from her to make part of the monogram.

I outlined the letters (backward) on scrapbook paper. I cleaned off the letters because they were a little dusty. Then I mod podged the heck out of those little guys! My original plan was to simply have the striped paper but my mod podge skills are...lacking. I ended up with wrinkles and air pockets.

So I had to adjust my vision. I took the left over paper and cut it into chunks. I put these chunks over the areas that were the worst and it became an eclectic array of stripes in all different directions.

Here is the finished product! My N and A are finished and I love them! The whole project was less than a dollar!

So you may be curious...what about the O? Well, I am going to make a felt flower wreath...which makes an O! Interested in how it might look? Check this how-to out!

Check List Lovin'

2010-04-24T07:52:00.000-05:00

So in the last few weeks of school...a check list is a necessity. This year I have switched from my much loved planner to Google Calendar. I've been slacking on filling out my planner over the last month or so. In reality, I'm probably focusing on what needs to be done during the specific week and not much else. Although I haven't been filling out my planner religiously like I normally do, I have been getting stuff done. But it scares not to have things written down...so one day during a boring lecture in my law class I wrote a much needed check list (I never do other work in class. I am still ashamed that I did this.).

Here's a few of the items I found crucial:
Law and Politics
~~(15 page) Research Paper Draft~~
~~Review Essay #2~~
Review Essay #3
Revise Research Paper
Final-Take home (essay)

Methods
Field Experience #3 paper work
~~Unit Plan!!! (~~Big Deal)
Portfolio

Soviet Russia
~~"Fire" Quiz~~
Final-take home (essay) (Big, big deal)

Chinese History
~~Research Paper-Women in Communist China~~
Final Test

Ed. Class
~~Third Test~~
Read book 1
Read book 2
Final Exam

Being able to scratch things off my list is such a big relief! The physical act of the check is a catharsis to my overwhelmed self. As I was writing this I was thinking about check lists for the wedding. Of course I will use them like crazy! The Knot has a check list that is rather intimidating and I find generic and a form of the Wedding Industrial Complex telling me what kind of wedding I should have.
Here's a few things from their list:

Engagement photos (yeah right...) Here's our engagement picture. Taken with my camera...self timer baby!

Choose Bridesmaids' dresses, accessories, and shoes. Well, they are grownups and can pick out their own clothes. Originally I told them they needed black dresses (of their choosing) but now I'm open to whatever they feel comfortable in.

Send out rehearsal dinner invites...puhlease!
#1-no rehearsal dinner. Intimate breakfast on the day of for our wedding party.
#2- Invites? How about a phone call?

Ok so I've totally bashed The Knot which is very nice of me. So here's a few of the items on their check list which are actually important things

Head start on thank yous! (I will need to do this. I hate thank you cards...and need motivation)

On the day of -"Relax, smile, and enjoy the day!"

Start paperwork on insurance!

So The Knot isn't completely worthless but I will probably stick with my own check list! Here are a few of my favorite (or most looking forward to) tasks.

Try making vegan cheesecake (with K. Hull!)

Plant Tulips this fall for centerpieces

Continue making felt flowers for bouquets and boutonnieres.

Make banners for Popcorn, photo and food stations

1:1 Initiative

2010-04-17T16:47:00.000-05:00

I mentioned last time that I would find out my student teaching placement at the end of the week. Well, I found out...and low and behold, I got the city I wanted. It was more the closeness than for the school district itself...although I am looking forward to teaching in a larger district. So my week ended on a high note!

In the meeting, I found out a few of the districts (not my district) in my center are in the process of going to the 1:1 initiative. For those who don't know, the 1:1 initiative is the program where the district, usually by some kind of grant, supplies each student with a laptop. Usually, this is for middle school and high school students. This is where education is going in the 21st century. The possibilities for teaching are limitless! I can't tell you how much stress it causes for teachers to worry about their students who don't have internet access.

But the 1:1 causes some problems...how do you regulate what students can look at? Do you get macs in order to save the computer from viruses? Are they insured? In the end as with most programs in education, it all comes down to money, money, money!

Can you think of any other issues(or benefits) that are caused by the 1:1 initiative?

The Home Stretch...kind of

2010-04-14T10:00:00.000-05:00

I have less than one month of school left and it is going to be a wild ride. I have been trying to cram everything into this last few weeks. Last week was so stressful, it felt like finals! Between law papers and lesson plans, I've had NO time for crafting which is quite depressing because it has become my catharsis from craziness. Nick and I have had no thousand mile date nights since he left. And Kelsey and I couldn't have our local restaurant tour last week.

Even though this is my last semester of classes....I'm not really done. I have student teaching in the fall. All the responsibilities of a teacher, none of the (still crappy) perks (aka salary). I find out tomorrow where I will be student teaching. Hoping for close by so I don't have to move....that would be horribly stressful and mama don't need that right now! Student teaching is a limbo...not truly a student yet still paying tuition. I enjoyed my last field experience so much though I am really looking forward to student teaching.

As for my summer plans, I would like to really give angelala a decent try before I become a grown-up. Still waiting to hear back from med school with Nick. So I am hoping to go out to Philly (for the last time) to help him move home!! Plus I would like to get my butt in gear and blog more.

Living with Lupus....Vacation

2010-03-12T07:44:00.000-06:00

Since Nick is coming home on a short notice vacation...I am getting the chance to spend a week with my honey on an Iowa vacation! Last year Nick came home for a spring vacation and the day after he left I went into a flare that lasted a couple months. The last half of my semester is full of "must do"s and I really don't have time to get sick.

We have a full week planned....the other night I made a schedule and we are full of friends, family and driving across Iowa.

When it comes to vacations, I'm not good at balance. Seriously who is though??? I have to make sure I get enough sleep, don't drink too much and eat right. All of this might sound simple but life is crazy....especially on vacation. These are the times when I try to forget I have Lupus and be a normal twenty something.

Hopefully my impromptu vacation will be fruitful and flare-free!

Deserves an "eek"

2010-03-10T13:04:00.000-06:00

So I should be studying...for midterms but I have to share this wonderful news.

Nick has his masters in forensic medicine...I say yuck! but whatever. He doesn't really want to do anything with that degree which is cool with me. Don't do it if you don't love it! So he applied to medical school. At last count, it was five ranging from Maine to Kansas. I told him I would follow him wherever he ended up. Very Scarlett O'Hara of me, I know but we've spent almost two years in a long distance relationship and I'm sick of it! So I have researched teaching requirements in all five states.

The school he really wanted is in Des Moines. He has a sister and brother who are/have been in med school there so he knows the ropes. We were starting to lose hope because he hadn't gotten an interview from anyone...until today.

Des Moines wants an interview next week. So he will be coming home last minute during my spring break...oh so perfect timing...and I will get to see my fiance! We have both been super stressed recently with the wedding, money and school that we really needed this pick-me-up.

Using Local Vendors

2010-03-05T07:43:00.001-06:00

It feels like this blog has turned into a wedding blog....my bad. It seems as though the wedding has dominated my free time just with brainstorming ideas...wonderful ideas like in lieu of flower petals, the flower girls hand out candy to the guests. Once I started planning our "big" wedding, I decided I wanted to use as many local vendors as I could. There are a lot of reasons for this. I want to support small business in my area and basically it's a silent protest against corporate weddings (Wedding Industrial Complex).

1. I bought my wedding dress at a small locally owned bridal store. The owner is an alumnus of the college I'm currently attending. She didn't give me a blank stare when I said I wanted a bridesmaid dress as a wedding dress (even though I didn't get a bridesmaid dress). I decided to go there because she has a family picture on the store's website and I thought that was cute. :)

2. The invites...I am a little disappointed in myself for this. We are (most likely) ordering them from an online company. This is a money saving thing. I hope to look around locally and see if any companies can match the price.

3. Linens (table cloths)! Goodness! The price of these can add up quickly! Thankfully I can pick my sister's brain...she got married almost three years ago. We will go with a local dry cleaning company who has a decent price for the table cloths.

4. Food is another sore spot for me. The best price we can get is from Hyvee...which although a chain grocery store, it is an Iowa company and is "employee owned" but I might just be grasping at straws.

5. Alcohol....oh lovely alcohol. First of all, I have no idea how much will be needed. My sister had 7 kegs at her wedding and they went through all of them! They will probably also come from Hyvee (liquor store). Nick and I like wine....box wine. Franzia....to be exact. If money weren't an issue, I would get wine from Eagles Landing Winery. It's an Iowa winery that has some delicious wines!

6. I am most proud of our venue! It is a county park so my money is going to support my local park system. Plus the building is simply gorgeous!

So my local wedding has hit a few road bumps but I have the best of intentions!

Wedding Tradition

2010-03-02T19:43:00.001-06:00

Wedding traditions...love em or hate em, they are there! But as a history chick, I have to explain some of the traditions. Do you have any traditions you love...or despise? Let me hear them!

White Dress-
Blame that on Queen Victoria and her middle class values!

Veil-
Roman Brides hid from evil Spirits

Wedding Cake-
If you ask me, it's an excuse for cake but there is meaning behind it!
Bride cuts it first...to ensure the couple will have children.
Don't want kids? Don't let your missus cut the cake!

Honeymoon-
Lasts till you are preggo!

Engagement ring on forth finger?
It contains your love vein. Awww sweet!

Rain? Good or bad?
The jury is still out...I'm going with good luck because some marriages need a little rainy luck!

Are you a crafty lady making your own dress?
I say more kudos to you! I am jealous of your ambition and talent....but according to legend, every stitch you sew on your wedding dress is one tear during your marriage. Hopefully your dress and marriage will be seamless.

Sources:
Ezine
BK the DJ
Your Wedding 101

Wedding Invite Dreams

2010-02-27T10:31:00.000-06:00

This is most likely what our wedding invitation will look like. (The date is not the actual date) It's a postcard! We have done this for a number of reasons

1. What is the point of having an invitation inside an envelope inside another envelope? Such a waste of paper! I'm trying to save the earth!

2. It's cheaper! Each is around 20 cents plus postage which is 28 cents each.

3. Almost everyone we know has internet access and they will be able to RSVP on our wedsite.

Obviously, I would love something different. But funds are limited and to be honest...who really cares about the invitation? It gets thrown away anyway...so who cares?

But here are a few ideas I love:

Nick and I love XKCD! It would be fun to turn these Save The Dates from offbeatbride into an invte!

Plus this! Dana from BrokeAssBride had these madlib response cards! I love them so very much!

Totally open to suggestions! Let me know your ideas...as long as they are cheap cheap cheap. :)

Wasting Time

2010-02-26T08:45:00.000-06:00

Midterms are next week! I have to write a take home test/essay for my Soviet Russian class....it will be around 12 pages and is due on Tuesday! We only have a week to write it and I have been super busy with other school work! So my weekend is dedicated to this paper. No crafting for Angelala!

But Momma Michelle is feelin' the shoppin' bug today..and I am too! :) So we are going to head into "town" and have a little fun time. We all need that every now and then....

What fun things is everyone planning for the weekend? Are you being productive or taking a breather?

Hey Ya!...Weddin' tunes

2010-02-25T20:09:00.001-06:00

Now, I can't pretend to have any clue about music. Nick is the music expert in our relationship. I have already told him he is completely in charge of all playlists. He is for sure a music elitist! He knows just about everything about indie music. He plays guitar and is a wonderful singer.

Nick singing for a friend's wedding.

But I do have an opinion about something and I told him the other day that I knew what song I wanted and he had no say in it! I am a Scrubs fanatic!! Love me some scrub a dub! And I want to walk down the aisle to Ted's version of "Hey Ya" by OutKast

Red and Turquoise Bouquet

2010-02-23T15:24:00.000-06:00

Red and turquoise are supposed to be the colors of 2010. I thought I would join in the trend and make a red, black, and turquoise bouquet.

This nine flower bouquet is available for purchase at The Rustic Corner in Charles City, Iowa for $39.95 and includes the vase! What a deal!

Button Organization

2010-02-22T07:20:00.000-06:00

This is how I had my buttons organized. Every time I needed to get out a certain color I had to dump out all the buttons. Not efficient!

So on Friday I got a plain wooden box from Hobby Lobby and tweaked it.

I painted the inside black. Then I Modge Podged some pretty pink and green paisley scrapbook paper on the top and sides of the box. I cut out "Buttons" on the Cricut and shadowed the paisley paper with green and pick cardstock.

Here's how it turned out!

It works perfectly! Now I can reach in and grab a button in a snap!

Austenland

2010-02-20T07:37:00.000-06:00

So normally, I am a tired senior in college who reads too much to enjoy pleasure reading. But I do have a dirty little secret....romance novels. Trashy romance novels are my favorite. When I was younger, I could get through a 300 page novel in less than a day. Those days are long gone but I still enjoy reading those trashy books. Today I listen to books! My local library has audiobooks that can be downloaded from a website. I love it! It allows me to listen to a book while I'm crafting...it feels like I'm multitasking. On Thursday, I downloaded a book and thought I would review it for you!

Austenland
By Shannon Hale

Photo: Official Site of Shannon Hale

This book is not my typical trashy romance novel. It is a "help me, I'm middle aged and single...I need a man" la Bridget Jones kind of book. Jane Hayes is a 32 year old graphic designer who is obsessed....with Mark Darcy (aka Colin Firth..BBC....wet shirt. Look it up) from Pride & Prejudice. Damn that Jane Austen for ruining all men! Jane has had a series of failed relationships in pursuit of searching for a modern day Mr. Darcy. With the death of a rich (and insightful) great aunt, she inherited a vacation...not to Jamaica...not to Vegas but to 1816. This "vacation" was a fantasy world of Regency England where everyone played their parts and Jane lovingly called this place Austenland. Will Jane get stuck fantasizing in Austenland forever or realize her dream just ain't gonna happen?

Normally, I can tell who the main character will end up with but I must say I was still guessing until the very end. The very teetering sanity of the Jane was one of my favorite parts and the fact that she realized just how crazy she was made it even better. Who doesn't love the crazy chick? Granted it was no marvel of literature but it was delectable and funny! I couldn't wait to finish this book and that is always a good sign.

Sans internet

2010-02-12T15:51:00.000-06:00

So, today I woke up and went about my daily routine. Because my relationship is a thousand mile one, Nick and I always talk online in the morning. I went to get online and my wonderful computer said I was online....but I wasn't. It was tragic and sad.

Instead of talking to Nick, I was productive which is weird. I cleaned my bathroom, bedroom and the living room. Whoa! I went into Chuck Town and had lunch with my dad. I even worked on some felt flowers for my wedding bouquet.

I finally solved the internet disaster and got back online about 2pm. I am always, always connected to the web world! My day sans internet was productive and quite fulfilling though.....

Wedding Dress Shop Shop

2010-02-07T20:48:00.002-06:00

Today I went shopping for my wedding dress. My biggest goal was my budget...$300 which is a lot of money to me. I went with a few girls from school who were dress crazy! I wasn't planning on choosing a dress today...just scoping things out.

I tried on about ten or so dresses. My original plan was to get a white bridesmaid dress. Until I tried on one dress that I fell in love with...and it was only $199. It was on clearance (discontinued line) and the only one they had. Of course, I couldn't leave the dress then and risk it being gone.

So I bought the dress.

Now I can't show you the dress but I can show you some of the ones I didn't get (that were like hundreds of dollars out of my price range but were still beautiful)

"Picture Perfect" Proposal

2010-01-30T09:22:00.000-06:00

We had a very personal proposal that incorporated a tradition that we created. Nick (Mr. O) did a wonderful job of surprising me and being all around sneaky!!! My mom pointed out to me a few weeks ago that our local newspaper was having a Perfect Proposal Contest...

Nick was so very excited! "We have to enter," he said. So last week one night Nick and I sat down and wrote our story in 100 words. I got a call from the paper on Tuesday saying we were one of the finalists! So yesterday I went into the paper and they videotaped Nick (via webcam) and I telling our story.

The voting started last night! If you would like to vote for us, that would be wonderful!! We are the last option entitled "Picture Perfect"
Here's the link:
Perfect Proposal Contest @ Globe Gazette

MY wedding

2010-01-25T07:56:00.001-06:00

Nick and I are unique which means our wedding will be pretty unique as well.

I'm not going to lie to you...I've been planning our wedding for about four months. I created our wedding binder a while ago!

Our (Nick has been actively involved) original idea was to go to Grand Superior with our immediate family (around 25 people) for a simple wedding. Eventually we would have a big open house at a park in our home town. Now we are talking about eloping. We would send out announcements asking people if they would help us celebrate our one or five year anniversary with a party instead of a reception.

When I started planning our wedding, I went to The Knot where they gave me a huge check list. Now I'm a list kind of girl. When I go on vacation, I make a list of what I'm taking but also a list of what I'm going to wear everyday. But some of this stuff was ridiculous! If you are looking for a good wedding checklist, look at offbeat bride's checklist.

After searching the internet, I learned that a boring, traditional white wedding isn't a requirement. So now I have daily reading requirements that include:

What have these amazing women taught me? Our wedding is ours and we can do what we want! It's not about the wedding, it's about the marriage and celebrating the love we have for each other.

Showing Love

2010-01-24T07:24:00.000-06:00

I haven't told you this but my mom got a Cricut. It is really addictive....I love it. I have been using it almost every day for the last few weeks. Now, I'm not a scrapbooker and I don't feel brave enough to try to do a serious scrapbook. But I do have a lot of other projects I have done.

I wanted to celebrate my engagement to Mr. O by making something to show off our photo booth getting engaged pictures. So I took a plain IKEA frame we had laying around and some left over paper. I bought one piece of paper at the Rustic Corner. Here is what I came up with.

Our colors are black, white, and pink plus the felt flowers with buttons I'm making. The flowers aren't felt though. 12-20-09 is the date we got engaged. So I created a very personal celebration of our relationship

.
The whole project cost two dollars.

What's Going on, Man?

2010-01-23T08:50:00.003-06:00

Where have I been?! Well it has been a crazy couple months....seriously I haven't posted in almost two months! My goodness! Bad Angelala!!

Well, I had to finish the fall semester at school after a big ol' flare. Anyone with college and an illness...I commend you! But I did it!! After school ended, I went to see Mr. O in Philly for three weeks.

He proposed on my third day there! He proposed at El Vez (an awesome funky Mexican restaurant). They have a fun old fashioned photo booth that we always take advantage of. After a Pink Cadillac Margarita, I was a little tipsy. We got into the booth and I was smiling at the camera. Mr O said "Are you ready?" to which I replied "yeah" still looking at the camera with my big smile. Then he pulled out the ring box. Here's the first picture the camera took.

How surprised do I look?

So now I get to plan a wedding. Not sure when or how many people will be there but we are going to have it. So I decided I wanted to make my own bouquet out of felt flowers. Princess Lasertron is pretty much my idol right now. I want our wedding to be as DIY as possible for two reasons.

1. It's cheaper.

2. It puts our stamp on it. Mr. O and I are individuals and I want our wedding to show that.

So over vacation I started making flowers in general and once I got home I was totally in love with my flowers and felt crafties. So in order to make money for the wedding (and hopefully after) I started selling them on etsy.

Here is the link:

angelala designs

**All of my work is one of a kind so you better buy it now.

Here's our wedsite:

Six years in the making

There's not a lot there but that's it.

Human Relations

2009-11-23T16:26:00.002-06:00

In my human relations class last week, our (quirky) professor gave us an assignment. I'll start at the beginning. My professor has us call her Kathy. Last week she told us her daughter who lives in Colorado had a change of plans for Thanksgiving. Originally, she wouldn't be able to come home but now she is. So she told us over Thanksgiving break we should spend one hour alone with our mother and have her write Kathy a note. She is known to give extra credit willy nilly and this was one of those moments. Since I live at home still and commute to campus everyday, I asked, "What if you still live with your mother?" Kathy asked me if I spent time with her....I had to call my mom right after class. This is the note she wrote that night.

“A daughter is a little girl who grows up to be your friend.”

      This week an assignment was given….spend an hour with your mom over Thanksgiving break. Oh my, only an hour? My daughter, Angie, and I spend many hours together. We are blessed.
      Would I share her with you? You betcha. Her joy is infectious and her quirky ways will make you laugh. However, I will warn you, your heart will be wrenched in two when her diseases flare and the pain takes her smile away.
When “my bug” was little I tried to teach her that life wasn’t fair. A lesson I learned when my brother was killed. BUT darn it all, life is REALLY not fair to Angie. Her story is long….you should hear it ALL sometime….she really is an amazing person. I’m so proud to be her mom.       Angie is a treasure. Her illnesses are difficult. We don’t know what tomorrow might hold and SO we make the most of today. We spend hours talking….about little things and big things. She has an awesome attitude. She is a wonderful friend.
Michelle

When I gave the note to my professor, she had tears in her eyes. Of course, I agreed when she asked if she could anonymously share it with the class. I told her I had no problem with her sharing my name. She read it to the class and let them decide how much extra credit I should get. They maxed me out extra credit. My relationship with my mom is the perfect example of human relations.

Priorities

2009-11-06T12:10:00.000-06:00

So, Angelala is still flaring some rockin' Lupus but attempting to push through and not fall behind in school. This Tuesday was a lecture that I desperately wanted to go to on campus. The speaker was was Paul Rusesabagina. Mr. Rusesabagina was the man whom the movie Hotel Rwanda was based on. What a wonderfully touching movie! In my Human Relations class, we were lucky enough to hear from a Rwandan refugee who is attending our university. Luckily, she and her entire family survived. She had been separated from them and walked bare foot for three mouths to get out of Rwanda, relatively unharmed although tramatized. But I digress...

Mr Rusesabagina spoke on campus Tuesday evening after a showing of Hotel Rwanda. I really, really wanted to hear him speak but life happens right....

Tuesday at 2:54pm my uncle Ron had a baby girl with his partner Autumn. I can't tell you enough wonderful things about this man who has always been there as a solid part of our family. Autumn is a kind, compassionate, loving woman who has become a huge part of our family. She became a wonderful friend to me over many lunches full of Culver's fries and ranch dressing. My beautiful cousin Carli was born by c-section on Tuesday afternoon. Of course, I simply had to see her as soon as I could and let Ron and Autumn know how excited I was for them and the rest of our family.

So I left campus early, ran home quick, and met my mom at my sister's house to drive up together. All in all I spent four hours driving (not including the time I spent in the car not driving). I didn't get home until after ten and was exhausted. Wednesday was a bad pain day and I stayed home from school...pushed myself too hard the day before. But it was totally worth it because I got to meet that beautiful little girl.

Let me introduce... Carli Rayann

Angela and baby Carli

Photo by Angelala

So although I didn't get to hear Mr. Rusesabagina speak and was too tired to go to school the next day, I got to hold Miss Carli when she was only a few hours old. It's all about priorities and I am so glad I made that decision.

Long Distance Baking

2009-10-29T17:14:00.001-05:00

Anyone with Lupus or any other chronic illness knows there are times when you are going to be in pain and there ain't much you can do to stop it. One of my tips is chocolate...and lots of it. And loving Mr. O is an expert on this fact. He has been known to send me personalized m&ms that told me "I love you" "Happy Anniversary" etc. Sometimes he would do this for no reason. Today I got home to a package from Mr. O that contained homemade brownies with cream cheese frosting that he mixed raspberries into. Granted they aren't the prettiest things but oh my goodness....they are delicious!!!

Photo by Angelala

Now Mr. O is a thousand miles away so he Fedexed by little present. Miss Tess my 14 year old cat decided maybe she wanted to go see Mr. O. Such a silly girl

Gratitude List

2009-10-23T14:46:00.000-05:00

So I mentioned Crazy Sexy Cancer the other day. Well the creator of it made a website called Crazy Sexy Life that includes a blog. Today's blog was was "Tips for a Better Life". I loved all 20 tips but #3 really stuck with me.

3. Try to make a gratitude list each day. Include big things and little things. Invite your friends to make their own lists; you can all email one another each day, sharing your gratitude.

So here is my gratitude list for today.

1.My cat, Tess, who is always ready to cuddle with me. She snores but I'm ok with that.
2.The color pink. My bedroom is decorated in pink, kelly green, and brown. Pink soothes me a lot.
3.Homework helps me take my mind off the pain.
4.Chocolate...who isn't grateful for chocolate?
5.The internet because it helps me connect with people.
6.Essential oils (Young Living): Panaway is like crack to me.
7.My mom cause she still lets me sit on her lap and rock.
8.Oxygen, weird I know. Every time I take a deep breath I'm grateful.
9.Mr. O because he is so loving and thoughtful.
10.The love everyone has shown me because I wouldn't be the person I am today if it weren't for all the people who have loved me.

Mr. O and Angelala

Living with Lupus...in College/School

2009-10-19T10:35:00.000-05:00

I decided to start a series of posts entitled "Living with Lupus..." and specifically focus on one aspect of life. Since I'm currently in a flare and school is my biggest concern...that is the focus of the first post.

I was diagnosed with APS when I was 16 and over five years later, my illnesses still aren't under control. So how have I managed to finish high school (missing around thirty days my senior year) and do well in college for the last three plus years? I've had a lot of help.

Gotta give mad props to the Americans with Disabilities Act for applying to education as well as employment. How does it apply? Basically teachers/instructors/professors are legally obligated to make accommodations for people with disabilities. Of course, these disabilities have to documented by the educational institution. Instructors must be informed of these accommodations...not going to lie this is usually awkward. The school that I currently attend has a Disability Office which I visit once a semester to meet with one of their advisors. We go over my class list, talk about the previous semester's accommodations, and what we might need to change. My accommodations haven't changed for the last three semesters which is nice. The awkward part comes when I have to approach my professors, tell them I have an illness and work with the DO, and nicely inform them I might miss multiple classes. My accommodations include extended absenses, extended time for tests/assignments, and a copy of the notes if I am gone. Not that bad right? still no one likes to hear that but I haven't run into any problems at school so far.

High school was different, mainly just because of the paperwork. We had an amazing school nurse who is one of the most caring women I've ever met. I basically had to fill out a 504 plan which just informs teachers what to do if I was gone for a significant period of time. It was hard at points but I got everything done.

My mom...bless her heart times about a million. I have been lucky enough to live at home all through college. I couldn't live in the dorms...things are too inconsistent. Lupus is all about balance...I'm walking on a tight rope every day. I worry about school and that's it. I don't have to deal with food or anything like that. I'm not completely dependent! I clean, do my own laundry, blah blah blah. But the idea of cooking dinner every night plus homework etc seems too daunting. I would probably just skip dinner (and weigh less).

Now, another thing that has helped me in school is Vocational Rehabilitation. I did not even know about this program until the nurse I mentioned earlier (the wonderful one...remember?) told my mom about it. Voc. Rehab has essentially paid for half my tuition. In the last three years, it has made it possible for me to not have a job. Me + job = disaster! I simply can't juggle a job and school and do well at both. Believe me, I've tried....Voc Rehab is a life line for me!!!

And the last thing that has helped me survive college with chronic illnesses is myself. I work hard. I work through pain and frustrations. I work ahead of peers in case a flare does spring up. (Thanks to my illness) I don't go out...I stay home and do school work. So see not everything about illness is bad! Cheer up buttercup!

If anyone has any questions about different programs or specific tips for college life with chronic illness, let me know and I will try to help!

Lupie Days

2009-10-15T18:37:00.000-05:00

Today (and yesterday) have been bad Lupus days. I ended up staying home from school yesterday and came home early today. Thankfully, I have understanding professors (one has fibromyalgia). It always takes me forever to decide if staying home will bite me in the ass later. I'm hoping that this isn't the start of a flare.

On the Daily Show last night, there was an author who Bright-Sided who basically said that having a positive attitude doesn't help. She was diagnosed with breast cancer and was disgusted by people who, in the words of Dr. Cox from Scrubs, "vomits sunshine". I have been living with illness for almost six years which is getting dangerously close to a third of my life. The only way I have gotten through all of it is my positive attitude. That's not to say I haven't had bad moments where I've had pity parties for myself. I just don't think that it's going to help by feeling miserable and depressed all the time.

Also on last night, I watched the documentary Crazy Sexy Cancer about a young woman documenting her battle with cancer. It seems like I watch a lot of tv...doesn't it? She used a lot of different alternative medicine like macrobiotics. She said, "I just want to have a normal life." Oh, honey if it were only that simple.

Gay (LGBT) History Month

2009-10-12T13:04:00.000-05:00

     October is Gay History Month or LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered) History Month. I am so lucky to have LOGO in my satellite package.I wouldn't even know about it with that blessed channel.
     In case you've been too afraid to watch the "Gay Network", you've missed a lot! You all know I'm from a small town where sexuality in general is not discussed. It is easy to be prejudiced because you aren't exposed to other things. Watching love stories about two men, like Adam and Steve, or two women, like Imagine You and Me, have made me more comfortable with actually seeing LGBT relationships in front of me. At the same time, it makes me so proud that the Iowa Supreme Court legalized gay marriage...way to go Iowa!!!
   Yesterday on LOGO there was an awesome documentary called A Jihad for Love. It was about the struggle that gay and lesbian Muslims have faced balancing their religion and sexuality. But it went beyond the religion and into the governments of places like Iran where homosexual sex is illegal. The punishment for one of the men caught included 100 lashes....truly sickening. A lot of the men and women had moved to more inclusion countries like Turkey and Canada.
     So, I tagged this post as education for two reasons: 1) because all people should be educated on the struggles faced by LGBT people and 2) because educators have to be really sensitive in these areas. All students (in high school) are discovering their sexuality, no matter the preference. But no teacher wants to bring this issue up. I found a wonderful article called "Raising Gay/Lesbian Issues in the Classroom" that give examples of issues and potential ways for teachers to deal with them. They are generic but still helpful.
     In this month that we are celebrating the fight for civil rights among the gay and lesbian community, we should remember that the struggle was started because of love and that's how it should end. With all people accepting that love really is all we need.

Beauty au natural

2009-10-09T14:29:00.004-05:00

     If you look at any typical college campus, you will most likely see girls wearing sweat pants, uggs, and too much make-up (or in some cases none at all). I have never been a typical college girl and in the last year I have gotten even more different.
     I am not a big make-up chick but I usually wear foundation. Recently, I decided I wanted to switch to organic make-up because of all the things they put in make-up. Unfortunately, I'm still a poor college student who doesn't want to spend $45 on foundation. Luckily, I found Physicians Formula organic make-up at target for about $13. I also use their powder sometimes as well.
     Baking soda is your friend! I use a baking soda/water paste for pimples. Baking soda also makes your skin silky smooth. In the last few months, I stopped shampooing and conditioning my hair (in the traditional sense). Here is my nightly ritual: I take a small container (reused from my mom's tupperware drawer) put a tablespoon of baking soda in. Mix in two tablespoons of water and stir. This is a paste and should be sort of thick. Then I take my apple cider vinegar, one tablespoon, and put it in a squirt bottle. I mix in around four tablespoons of water and shake, shake, shake. Once I'm in the shower, I just massage the baking soda mixture into my scalp. I typically leave it in for a little while then rinse well! Then I just squirt the apple cider vinegar into my hair and run my fingers through. FYI, if you don't throughly rinse out all the baking soda, you will have a volcano effect on your head. The reaction to the vinegar will cause bubbling. This won't hurt you...I've done it a few times.
     I am trying to eliminate all harsh/unnecessary chemicals from my (simple) beauty regiment. Need some different ideas? I also find Planet Green: Fashion & Beauty so helpful. Try some natural beauty treatments. My next project is a sugar exfoliator. Does anyone have some natural beauty treatments they'd like to share? I would love to hear them!!

Lucky Lupus Liver

2009-10-07T13:05:00.000-05:00

     When I was pregnant, I was unbelievably sick. I really can't even describe how awful I felt. I suffered from chronic headaches and eventually started twitching. My head and neck would move uncontrollably. I was told by one doctor it was nerves and hormones. My mom, bless her heart, did so much research. That summer she figured out that I had Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome (APS).
   The morning my son was born I went into the hospital with vomiting, high blood pressure and massive swelling. It turns out my kidneys and liver were shutting down and Little Man's heart rate was dropping. I had really, really bad Preeclampsia. I ended up having an emergency c-section two months before my due date. My son was 3 pounds 11 ounces when he was born...the reason why I call him Little Man. It took over a week in the hospital and I was finally well enough to go home. A hematologist diagnosed me with APS and prescribed me blood thinners. I just celebrated my five year anniversary with my blood thinners this summer.
     A few years later, I saw a rheumatologist and he diagnosed me with Lupus. Most likely, my APS is just part of my Lupus. This is a super fast version of my diagnosis!
    Living with Lupus is a lot harder than being diagnosed. I have arthritis in both hands, my right knee, and left foot. I have extreme fatigue. I have flares about every three-four months. My flares usually put me in bed. There is no way of knowing when a flare will jump up or how long it will last.
    Not everything is bad though. I have a built in excuse to not do stuff. I have a better appreciation for good days. Oh and I was on the show Mystery Diagnosis when I was 18.

Love (can) = Life

2009-10-01T18:07:00.000-05:00

     My love story starts with two stupid teenagers...like a lot of love stories. Mr. O and I met when we both in a musical in high school. He was the lead and I didn't even have a speaking role. In my defense, he was a senior and I was a measly freshman (which makes a huge difference in casting). The love part didn't come until later after he graduated. He asked me out on a date and I said yes...duh. We went to get pizza and then off to the arcade (my idea). I think he started loving me that night because of the arcade idea. I'm a goofy chick what can I say?
     That summer went by pretty fast. Mr. O and I had a wonderful time but he was getting ready to go off to college and I was stuck in our home town. I was crushed the night before he left. We talked on the phone every night and he came home as often as he could but our relationship suffered. I often felt left behind and neglected.
    Fast forward a few months and I was pregnant....and 16. I told you it was about stupid teenagers. The relationship had ended but I was forced into communication with Mr. O because of the baby. We had broken each others' hearts. I won't go into the details but things did not end well. Our son was born in July of that year and we placed him for adoption. That is a totally different post that I will go into another day.
Mr. O and I saw each other once after that. He brought a birthday present for Lil' Man. The sighting lasted all of two minutes and ended with him saying "Good luck" and walking away. It still hurt to see him leave. But my life moved on, I graduated from high school and went on to college. Mr. O finished college and went on to graduate school in Philadelphia. Mr. O continued to infiltrate my mind and I missed the boy I knew when I was younger.
    The summer before my junior year of college he seemed to be ever present on my mind. All of a sudden I got an email from him that he wanted to see him when he was home visiting from Philly. I knew I had to see him but everyone around me including myself was anxious about the meeting. Mr. O and I didn't get along and there were still raw scars. The day of wasn't too bad until I was sitting there waiting for him. I saw him walking towards me looking really good and then he bumped into a table. Oh yeah, he was still my Mr. O. That night ended in a kiss which I can still feel when I close my eyes. The feelings were still there and somehow I knew things were going to change dramatically.
    Fast forward...again...over a year this time and I'm not pregnant! Yay! (Have to celebrate the small stuff). Mr. O and I are still happily together. He is my best friend and the absolute love of my life. He finished grad school and is still in Philly working and I am sort of closer to being down with school here in Iowa. We talk on the phone for at least an hour every night, waste time IMing each other during the day, and webcam regularly. We see each other every three months(ish) with me flying out to Philly or him coming home.
Stay posted for how we keep our relationship strong, healthy, and full of love!

A is for Attitude

2009-09-30T17:43:00.002-05:00

Today's post just hit me.
Again, I am sitting at school and working away on my laptop, minding my own business. All of a sudden, I hear a familiar voice from one of my classes. This "boy" is in an educational technology class with me. He was sitting at a table with a woman talking. Personally, I hate eavesdropping and think it is a big no-no but he was talking so loudly I couldn't help but hear him.
This gist of his conversation was a complaint about said technology class which consists of one day lecture and other day is in the computer lab. I was sure that this class would be a waste of my time. Seriously, what more could I know about technology? I am glad to say that I was pleasantly surprised by how much I have learned already. I'm not sure if any of you have had experience with Inspiration but it is amazing software along with delicious. I would not have known about these wonderful tools if not for that class.
The last thing I want to do is pass judgment on this person but how can someone be so negative? He went on to complain about several other things from work to the amount of continuing education classes teachers have to take. Finally, I had to get up and walk away because these comments were depressing me and I wasn't even part of the conversation.

So, my lesson for all of you out in Lala Land today is to think of attitude like the letter 'A'. A is first and a positive attitude should be first too.

School Life

2009-09-28T12:20:00.000-05:00

     I thought I would begin with education because it seems like the easiest to explain. It also seems appropriate because I am at school at the moment in the education building. They say you should write what you know...so here is what I know.
     I am a senior in college majoring in history education at a relatively large school in Iowa. If you spend two minutes looking me up, you can easily figure out what school it is. In case you don't have the time to really research it, here is a clue: it is considered the "teaching" college of Iowa. I transferred here at the beginning of my junior year after graduating from a community college that I miss very much. I won't graduate until December of 2010 (a semester after my goal). As for a career goal, I want to stay in Iowa. Granted I'm still wet behind the ears but I have been around the block and know that Iowa is simply amazing. Ideally, I will teach high school American history. I will certified to teach US and World history, Geography, Sociology, Psychology, Economics and American Government for fifth through twelfth grade. I know...it is a lot!
    So there is a little background on me. Now that I'm a senior, I have enough experience that I should have a teaching mantra by now or at least a start. Well, back in the day (I hate that phrase) I was old school (another phrase I'm not fond of). History wise I thought lecture was the only way to teach students. Personally, I love taking notes and in my twisted little mind everyone else does too. Now that I'm getting into the knitty gritty of education classes I'm learning that I want to do more. What exactly...I'm not sure. But I'm keeping my options open.

In the Beginning

2009-09-27T15:05:00.003-05:00

There was a ~~girl~~ woman who thought, "I should start a blog." But she wasn't sure if that was a good idea fora couple of reasons.

Do I have the time?
Am I interesting enough?

She continued to think about blogging...for like two weeks which is a long time for her to contemplate something. So this ~~girl~~ woman person decided that a higher power (whatever that may be) was telling her to blog.

So what am I going to talk about on this blog?

Lupus and autoimmune diseases in general
Education
Longdistance relationships
My life in general

angelaladesigns: For Sale

2009-07-26T08:07:00.000-05:00

Coming Soon! Check back for new items!!!

About

2009-07-25T08:03:00.000-05:00

It seems so very daunting to tell you the story of my life. Do you really want to know? Should I start in the womb? Probably not....

First of all, I'm from rural Iowa and am surrounded by corn fields. Small towns dominate Iowa and for me, this is home. While I love the quiet of Iowa, there isn't much to do here. In the last year, I've become a craft-oholic. I'm slowly learning to sew, project by project. I'm a fan of embroidery (not your grandma's embroidery) and scrapbook paper but not really for scrapbooking.

I fell in love with my high school sweetheart and we are currently planning our wedding which is why you will probably read a lot about my wedding. My odd, quirky behavior extends to the wedding and with so many ideas, the wedding changes on a weekly basis. I'm in a super close family and my madre is my best friend. We like to go shopping together. I am currently waiting for my niece, nephew and my future niece(or nephew) to get old enough to call me "crazy Aunt Angie". At least I will be married and not be crazy Aunt Angie who has 12 cats and lives in the basement.

I am a lover of romance novels, the History Channel, pretending to be a hipster and movies.

If you have any questions or would like to buy one of my crafts please email me: here.