Housewife Tip #3

The "Out of the Dryer" Smell 

One thing I always loved was going to my mom's house and having my clothes washed there- they always smelled nicer from mom's house than if I had washed them. It was the same at my brother's house; he would be a sweetheart and offer to put a load of laundry in the wash for me when I stayed for a long weekend. They'd come out of the dryer and smell SOOO nice, and they'd stay like that for two weeks.

I finally gave in and decided to give myself the luxury of that smell-
Fabric Softener. Dryer Sheets. Heaven.

I'm usually a thrifty shopper and avoid unnecessary items *cough like fabric softener cough*, but moving into a new house and wanting to feel as comfortable as possible, I gave in.
At Target, I bought the 100oz Snuggle Blue Sparkle Softener and a 267 count box of Snuggle Blue Sparkle Dryer Sheets, both about $8.50 each. Now, I know it sounds dumb to buy $17 worth of stuff just to make your clothes smell nice, but really, it is AWESOME.

  Good reasons to use fabric softener and dryer sheets:
- reduces the smell from wooden drawers and closets 
- if you're like me and wear your clothes more than once... or even twice... before washing them again, you feel a lot less gross
- if you accidentally forget to wear deodorant or don't have time to take a shower, you still smell relatively nice
- I have sheets that I use as couch covers, and it is such a nice feeling to have a clean house and literally clean smelling furniture, especially if you're about to have company over
- it's like Febreze on your clothes for longer!
- the dryer sheets can help reduce clothing wrinkles and static cling


Warnings:
Some people are allergic to things like fragranced detergents, fabric softeners and dryer sheets (due to the chemicals they contain). Also, it has been stated that fabric softeners reduce the lifespan of your clothing as well as the absorbency (for something like towels) over time. And finally, some people say there are cancer causing agents in them. But... honestly, there are a bajillion different cancer causing agents around us and you're either going to get cancer or not. 

Curtis OUT.

Housewife Tip #2

So... Have you ever heard of an "eye gouger"? That's the lovely nickname for the melon baller, a seemingly pointless kitchen device that could actually get a lot of use.

Interested to proceed further into the HOW part of a melon baller? 

So... HOW can I use this mysterious mellon baller? Well, taking a hint from its name, you can totally make little melon balls with it. You have to press down hard and twist the wrist to make pretty perfect spheres appear. 

So... WHY would you want little round balls of melon? Maybe for a classy fruit salad, an accent to a food display, or as part of a dessert topper. 

BUT! Here is the awesome part - you can use it for more than just melons! Who would have guessed?!?

After an apple has been cut in half, you can use the melon baller to cut out the core (same with pears). You can use it to do fancy designs for pumpkin carving. Truffles can be shaped with the help of a melon baller.... Also, you can take the leafy top off of strawberries with it (Also, there is a whole strawberry stem remover to help with that, if you are interested in another kitchen gadget)!

AMAZING!

Keep checking in with my blog to see if there are more life lessons for you to learn...

Curtis OUT.

Housewife Tip #1

Here is my attempt at keeping up with this blog better... adding the little "housewife tips" I've learned/heard about/gathered over the years of being friends with moms.

Housewife Tip #1
Having been in a number of theatrical performances, I've received a number of flower bouquets. But one thing people don't realize is what you're supposed to do with the flowers once you get home!

When you get your flowers home, BEFORE putting them in a vase with water, cut the stems wherever you want at a diagonal angle. This allows a fresh part of the stem to be showing with a greater amount of surface area to absorb water to keep your flowers fresh. Apply this method to cutting fresh flowers out of a garden as well.
(Also, a lot of store-bought flowers include those "food packets" - I've never really noticed if they worked, but remember to put that in the water before the flowers. Also, the flower stems will take up space in the vase and raise the water level, so try not to make a mess!)

Curtis OUT!

The Summer Update

I still work 9-5pm at Rockbrook.
I did not end up stage managing Brevard Little Theatre's "Annie".
I have done alright with visiting with friends, not as well as I should have though.
I am to episode 52 of Bones. There are about 110 available on Netflix.
I auditioned for America's Next Top Model in Greenville, SC. Waiting to hear back (if I hear back at all).
I had a photo shoot with super cute pics with both Kathleed Rogers and Ella McCoy. Madeline was indeed my stylist for Ella's photo shoot.
I don't have a program and have not worked on the Gamma Phi website; I think I'm just going to have to do it on a PC once I get back to school.
I have gotten a lot better at remembering names, but haven't really come up with a method.

I have been going to yoga, but totally have not been using an elliptical or running... shame on me. Oh well. I'm hoping some of my Gamma Phi sisters will help me out with that!


In other news, I was thinking about changing or adding a focus to my blog- "housewife tips". We'll see how that works out...

Curtis OUT!

General Summer 2011 Plans

So here are some general summer 2011 plans:

- Work a general 9am-5pm shift, M-F at Rockbrook Camp.
- Stage Manage the Brevard Little Theatre Production of "Annie".
- Visit with friends (in B-Town, as well as my lovely Nick in Ashevegas).
- Watch all the episodes of "Bones" on Netflix. Looove it!
- Potentially audition for America's Next Top Model if they make their way to Atlanta.
- Have a photo shoot with Ella McCoy as my photographer and Madeline McKeller as my stylist!
- Get a website editing program (Mac) to fix up the Gamma Phi website.
- Work really hard to figure out a way to remember the names of people I meet.

Some of the nitty gritty details:
I'm starting my "summer makeover" plan next week (after my birthday!). I'm signing up for a membership at the local gym... I plan on taking yoga twice a week and to start working on the elliptical. I have to build up my jogging abilities on the treadmill too- I was doing pretty well for a while but have fallen very far behind. I'm hoping to build up to running on 'Charlotte's Run' which is a trail at camp that a lot of the girls use for running (but it has lots of hills and I'm not ready for that yet, sadly). I want to start using free weights and make a routine that I can do while I watch "Bones" or re-runs of ANTM. I am thinking about starting a morning stretch routine because I have horrible flexibility and poor posture. I need to save up to buy a nice, comfortable, perfect fitting pair (or two!) of heels and learn to walk in them. You can't really be a top model if you can't wear heels...

Sorry for the rambling... My next post will likely have to do with my favorite designers... so keep an eye out for it!
Curtis OUT!

The Terrors of TV

Almost everyone I know is aware of the fact that I generally don't watch TV- I didn't have a TV in my apartment this past year, I didn't have "a show" my senior year of high school while I was at UNCSA... I DID however, watch American Idol and America's Next Top Model in middle/high school on and off.
My mother was excited for me to watch American Idol with her tonight. There were only 4 contestants left and they sang two songs each, so I was totally down for that. No big deal.
BUT- here is the real reason I don't watch TV... after Idol was over, I had to hit that Guide button and see what else was playing. And of course, my ultimate soft-spot: Next Top Model.

I remember from a young age my aunt said that I should be a model. I never really took it to heart; I've always had my family say I was pretty or beautiful, and once you hear it so much from them (and not really anyone else), it's hard to believe. But I did pursue acting, which doesn't really require great looks, just bearability and a decent personality.

But damn, every time I watch Next Top Model, there is this little part inside of me yearning to be on that show. I have the energy, the charisma, the lack of a piss-poor attitude or diva-ness, the emotion, the ability to relate to a story, the understanding of marketing... and the height (although I'm about 1/4" too short, but who is counting?). I look kind of average/normal, which is a problem, but I do have big soulfull eyes.

So there it is. One of the main reasons I stopped watching TV is because I was sick of yearning and wanting to be a model and actress. Sick of watching these shows and thinking, "I could totally do that 100 times better."
People say follow your dreams... Years ago, my dream was to have a normal life. I'm not sure what normal really means, but my current self says that it means I need to get over myself and graduate from college before making up crazy life goals like modeling and acting.

TV, how I love and hate you so.

Curtis OUT.

Summer Commences! Portfolio Pages Abound!

Summer is here! And here is my Powerpoint version of my portfolio... It's not complete because I need to scan a number of drawings that I've completed since I did this version, but it's the rough version. I would change the order around too (like, have the renderings/pictures for the show that I actually designed for first). Enjoy!

Curtis OUT!