Recycled Book Garland

I got this idea from my friend Aimee.  Visit her blog to see some of her amazing creations. 

To make this garland you will need:
Card Stock
An old Book
Ribbon
Glue Gun
Permanent Glue Stick
Thick Tagboard or Cardboard
Martha Stewart Circle Cutter (Optional)

In the December Martha Stewart Magazine, there is a 50% off coupon for any of her craft items at Michael's.  This circle cutter is AWESOME!  It really beats looking for lids and candles to trace.  It makes perfect circles in any size you want.  It's normally $24 so with the coupon it's only $12.  Michael's always has 40% coupons in the mail or e-mail also, so you could use that instead.

Find an old book you have at your house.  I found this one at Goodwill for 50 cents.  Cut out the book circles first so you know how big to stagger the other circles.  By the way...the pieces of brown tagboard I used for the back were dividers in the the paper bins at Michael's.  I asked if I could have 3 of them and they gave them to me for free.  You could also use a cardboard box to make it thicker and more rugged.

 It's hard to find pre-made tag board letters big enough.  Plus, they're pricy.  Just print letters and then trace them onto the paper you choose. I used the font Britannic Bold.  Mix it up with different fonts and colors!  Enjoy over your mantle...or over your windows if you are like me and lack a mantle!

Sickie-Poo

I'm home sick...coughing and nursing my poor throat.  But I'm in a very blogtastic mood!  I have a lot to catch up on!  In between administering every home remedy I can think of to keep me from losing my voice...I will be posting some pics of our NYC trip in September and other fun tidbits from the fall.  

If you're in KC tomorrow night...come see me sing (or try to sing) in our bi-annual Yacht Rock extravaganza.  It's such a blast!  We are expecting a very special guest to sit in with us.  Stay tuned...

Musician's Corner with Vince Gill

Throughout the summer we've really loved going to Musician's Corner, free concerts on Saturdays at Centennial Park.  Today, we read rumors on Twitter that somebody really special may be stopping by.  The rumors were correct!  It was such a Nashville moment to be sitting in a park and have Vince Gill walk on stage and sing for you.






Can you spot Mat Kearney?

New York! Part 4

We are very lucky to have a friend named Jason in our lives.  Jason happens to be on a show called Saturday Night Live.  The season premiere of SNL happened to be on my birthday.  And...we happened to be in New York the night of my birthday.  I love when things come together.

This was our 2nd time being at the show together.  Being in the SNL studio is amazing.  It's like a museum.  Photos of classic scenes and characters line the walls.  I wish they allowed cameras inside.  We were also able to go to the cast after-party and after-after party.  It is so much fun seeing all of these people you love and admire in one room.  If only I had the guts to go up and talk to them....

 

 Billy with Lori Chaffer

 Billy with Don Chaffer

Jason and Billy

Max, Jason and Billy

Kristin Sudeikis and Billy

Here's a selection of photos I'd like to title:

"Really Bad Photos of Celebrities that I'm Too Scared to Talk To" 

Katy Perry's back

Justin Timberlake's back

 

Blurry Andy Samburg and a bald man's head

Abby Elliot trying to escape the crowd

Haha! I was right, wasn't I?  Horrible pictures.  Oh, well.

This was definitely my best birthday so far!  31 is going to be a fabulous year. 

NEW YORK! Part 3

One of the highlights of the trip for me was getting to see a taping of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon!    I'm such a fan of the show.  It was so fun to see what goes on behind the scenes.  Here are some things I learned at the taping...

1.  It's 100 degrees while you're waiting in line to get in.
2.  It's 30 degrees once you're in the studio.
3.   If it's your birthday, you may get asked to have a dance-off  before the show with the person sitting next to you.
4.  The studio is much smaller than it looks on TV.
5.  The Roots play through entire songs before the show, during commercial breaks and after the show.
6.  If you wave at Questlove, he won't wave back.  But he'll smile at you.
7.  Jimmy laughs at his own Bieber jokes in video segments.
8.  The show isn't taped live, but Jimmy and all the guests do everything in one take.
9.  There are about 35 crew members and staff behind the cameras at all times...unlike a concert or play.  There are lots of people in the way.
10.  Jimmy runs the stairs and stops to say "hi" and shake lots of hands even after the cameras stop rolling.  (He shook mine!)



Here is a video my 3 seconds of fame!  I'm in the second row of the audience on the right hand side at about the 3:40 mark.

NEW YORK! Part 2

I really love being in New York but am always amazed by the way people live in such tight spaces.  We were SO lucky to be able to stay for free in this little apartment in the East Village on the lower level of this building.

When I say little...I mean TINY.  This is not just the bedroom. It's the entire apartment!

You're probably wondering how we sat on that toilet.  Sideways is the answer to that.  HA!

Ahhh...New York.  $1,200 a month for 400 square feet.  Not bad!  :)

Here are some other photo highlights...

 

Gretchen's billboard in Times Square from Project Runway!

NEW YORK! Part 1

For my 31st birthday, we got to take an almost free trip to New York!  "Concrete jungle where dreams are made of...." Cue Jay-Z and Alicia Keys.

Here's the story in a nutshell:  Our good buddy, Don Chaffer, wrote an album called "The Khrusty Brothers" which has really amazing songs that center around a story about a family band.  Billy played drums in the live band when they played shows in KC.  Don turned this music and story into a musical.  The musical won a grant to be workshopped in New York.  Billy auditioned and got the part of "Bud" who also happens to be the drummer.  And VOILA!  We end up in NYC.

Here are some pics of the cast rehearsing.