5 Fandom Friday - Characters I Would Name My Kids After

Would I name kids after a character? I mean, would I really? Maybe. But not because I like the character. More because I like the name.


Characters I Would Name My Kids After

1: Luke and Leia
Is that bad? Boyfriend and I have, in fact, discussed that if we have a set of twins that happen to be a boy and a girl... Luke and Leia are on the top of the list.

2: Rose and Tyler
Erm... so the full discussion on twin names include middle names as well. Luke Tyler and Leia Rose.

3: Dean
I like the name Dean. A lot. It sort of grew on me.

4: Lyra
I think Lyra is a beautiful name, although honestly, the likeliness of me naming a child Lyra is slim to none.

5: Amelie
Or Amelia. I like that name. It's pretty.



Not much to this list, ha, sorry. I mean, sure I've thought about baby names, but by that I mean, I think "Do I like that as a baby name?" *Yes/no* and that's it. Haha.



Iggle Squiggle's 5 Fandom Friday

Swap Project - I Am Chalkboard

So I knew I wanted to do something chalkboard related for my #LoveYourInnerGeek swap buddy. Why? Erm... because I got some clear chalkboard coating for Christmas. ROFL. Yep. That's the reason! So I was wandering the internets to find chalkboard diy ideas. I came across this tutorial for chalkboard necklaces.

http://poppiesatplay.blogspot.com/2011/06/chalkboard-jewelry.html

 I didn't read it, because it seemed simple enough, and I know I didn't want to make a necklace. I did, however, like the idea of the "I AM" being a permanent fixture on the board. I decided this would look good as a refrigerator magnet.


I wandered Hobby Lobby aimlessly, not sure how I wanted the magnet to look, when I found this:

And the finished product came to me in an instant. So I purchased it. Along with some small wooden peg things.

Quick Review - Mashed Cauliflower

So I was wandering Tumblr one day and came across some healthy food substitutions. I read through the post, but honestly can only tell you one substitution, because it stuck with me and made me curious.

The post said that cauliflower could be boiled and mashed to serve as a mashed potatoes substitute.

This intrigued me. I am a fan of mashed potatoes. It is one of my favorite foods. But it is quite heavy a food. And sometimes I just don't feel like eating potatoes. I also love cauliflower. I prefer it over broccoli, because it's easier to eat. So mashed cauliflower didn't sound too bad to me, and if it could be a substitute for mashed potatoes... then hell yeah!


I went out and purchased a... thing... what is it? A head? Of cauliflower and broke off what looked like a large single serving to drop in a pot with water to boil.


I boiled it longer than I normally would, hoping it would make it easier to mash. Then I drained it and started mashing with a fork.

After mashing, cauliflower retains quite a bit of liquid, so milk isn't needed. Then I stuck in some butter - the same amount I would have added to potatoes.

But I was hesitant. Could mashed cauliflower really work as a mashed potatoes substitute with just butter mixed in? So I added a very small teaspoon of sour cream. Just to help with the flavoring.

This picture was the finished product. You can see how lumpy it is. I only had a fork to mash it. I think a potato ricer would produce smoother results. I should get a potato ricer. Heh.

ANYHOO, time for the tasting. It tasted... good. Like, really good. I mean, you can tell it tastes a bit like cauliflower, but the texture and the butter and sour cream... it really did seem like mashed potatoes. I ended up loving it! I made it as a side for a noodle dish, and I wish I hadn't made the noodles and just made more mashed cauliflower!

I've had this three times since - once with butter and sour cream and twice with just butter - and I am in love. Seriously, addicted to mashed cauliflower. I hear a blender gives the cauliflower a closer consistency to mashed potatoes, but I probably won't be bothered. Smashing with a fork seems to work for me!


Overall, for me, mashed cauliflower is an acceptable substitution for mashed potatoes. And that's coming from someone who's in love with mashed potatoes! Mmmm.

5 Fandom Friday - Things I've Bought But Haven't Read Yet

Today's 5 Fandom Friday had additional options - "watched" or "played" vs. "read".  But it's safe for me to say I have plenty of books I own but haven't read yet.



1: The Name of the Star - Maureen Johnson

 I purchased it when it first came out, and then went to a book signing for it. So it's signed my Maureen... I just haven't gotten around to reading it yet...





2: Anna and the French Kiss - Stephanie Perkins

I bought this book to get it signed as well. Her second book had already come out by then, but I hadn't read this one yet, and still haven't.




3: Every You, Every Me - David Levithan

 The last book on this list that was purchased to get it signed. I don't think I've even opened this book yet.



4: Beauty Queens - Libba Bray

During one of the... I dunno - four? times I met David Levithan at book signings, he started talking about this book and how fun it was. I was interested. I bought this book at Borders when they were going out of business. That tells you how long I've had this book. Still not read it.





5: Target Haul... 

The Secret Garden, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, The Wind in the Willows, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, A Little Princess... last summer, these books for $1 each in Target's bargain bins, and I grabbed each one because I hadn't read any of these stories. I still haven't read any of these stories. Heh.




So there ya go. And I have a few more that were given to me and I haven't read yet. That's a goal for this year!






Iggle Squiggle's 5 Fandom Friday

New Funko Pops Alert!!

Ha! Wouldn't you know it, I managed to maneuver myself in to a Hot Topic early on a Friday morning when it wasn't so busy! And they had a buy one get one 50% off sale, so I picked up TWO new Funko Pops! Both are on my want list, of course! :D


Scrump

I've seen the Lilo and Stitch Funkos, and I'm a huge fan of the movies, but for some reason, Funko Pop Lilo and the Stitches I've seen are... meh. And then I saw Scrump. And fell in love. I always identified with Lilo. Being the odd one out, an active imagination, not able to afford normal looking dolls. I used to make my own dolls from white socks, clothes that don't fit me anymore, and pulling tassles from pillows and blankets as hair. My dolls looked like the love child of Scrump and Raggedy Ann, so when Lilo pulled Scrump out, and then explained Scrump's big head head with a great story... oh, how my heart tugged. I had to have this Funko Pop.







Dirty Kaylee

KAYLEEEEEEEE! FIREFLY!!!! BROWNCOAT FOREVER!!! *cough* Ahem. Apologies. I wandered in to Hot Topic to look for this young lady especially. I knew they had the exclusive dirty Kaylee and decided it would be worth a look. Honestly, I wasn't expecting to find her. I just figured I'd get regular Kaylee at C2E2 or something. But I found her! And then I left her at the register for me while I went back to find Scrump for the 50% off sale. Haha. Love it. My Kaylee looks less dirty than ones I've seen online, but you know what? That's okay with me. I still love her. ♥

Swap Project - Junior Mint Notebook

So in November, for the IGGPPC 31 Days of Christmas Swap, I came across a Youtuber named Sea Lemon, to learn how to make my own slime. Her videos looked promising, but I was so busy over the holidays, that I didn't manage to actually check her channel out fully until January. And then I wanted to make almost everything in her videos!! Like, IMMEDIATELY! lol

But you have to start somewhere, and I thought the Junior Mint notebook was too cute, and I could make it as a gift for my #LoveYourInnerGeek swap buddy.



I ran out to buy some Junior Mints, and set to the task of eating them all. I needed the box empty, of course.

5 Fandom Friday - Favorite Fictional Couples I Ship (Valentine's Day)

Happy Friday the 13th everybody! This week is all about couples. Fictional couples. That I ship. Hmm... I'm going to assume this is not necessarily canon couples, just couples I happen to ship.



Favorite Fictional Couples I Ship



1: Wash & Zoe Washburne

This couple. THIS COUPLE. Wash was one of my favorite characters, while Zoe was one of my least favorites. (on my official list, Wash is 2, and Zoe is 7) Together however, I'll ship them to the end of time.

Full Funko Pop Collection

So this past Friday, I did a 5 Fandom post on my top 5 Funko Pops that I own. Those are the ones pictured above. And I have two Dancing Groots for the time being. Still thinking of having a giveaway.

I have a very small collection, because I only started last August. But since it's so small, I thought now would be a good time to share, because then I could blog whenever I get a new one in the future, and keep up that way.



Groot

BEHOLD! The very first Funko Pop I ever purchased. Bah haha. I had been avoiding purchasing Funko Pops for ages, but alas, Guardians of the Galaxy made me change my mind. I spent the first day of Chicago Comic Con finding all of the booths that sold Groot. I kept finding him for $40. After a quick text to a friend who's been collecting a while, I learned $40 was way to much to spend on a normal Funko Pop. So I kept searching. And finally, I found just one place that was selling him for $20. Another text to that friend informed me that $20 will probably be the cheapest I'll find him at the time, so I grabbed him. That day was the same day that friend ended up getting his Loot Crate, and his Groot looked so much cooler than mine, but I don't have Loot Crate, so I had to settle for this one. Haha.

Red Velvet Oreos - Quick Review

Stopped at the grocery store today for some microwave dinners, and came across these:

Limited edition Red Velvet Oreos!


I am a fan of red velvet cake. I loves it. So I had to pick these up.



Behold:

The oreos are beautifully red velvety looking. I love the color!


And inside:

There's a cream cheese flavored filling.


The cookie is delightfully chocolate-y. You can smell the cream cheese from the filling, and the filling itself is pretty good. Not as "cream cheese-y" as I'd hoped, and it's still got that sweet, sweet "oreo filling" flavor.


Overall, I very much enjoy these. They are quite tasty, BUT... I prefer the original oreo over these Red Velvet ones. Still though, they're a nice change. ♥

REVEAL Men Calvin Klein Review

*I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

Just in time for Valentine's Day, Influenster sent me a sample of the men's fragrance, Reveal Men by Calvin Klein. I was hesitant about receiving this, because I'm actually quite picky about fragrances I used and Boyfriend uses. Some scents I just can't do, because they're too strong, heavy, sweet, etc. and they make me sick to my stomach.




Taken from the Influenster Reveal Men Product Page:

Sensual – Vibrant – Captivating

REVEAL Men Calvin Klein captures the tension between instant attraction and playful seduction. Make him feel confident and sexy with this vibrant, salty oriental fragrance. Crystallized ginger, raw salt, and vetiver notes will leave him charismatic and spontaneous. The scent is addictive and he will be irresistible.

Top: crystalized ginger, lentisque essence, pear brandy
Mid: raw salt signature, agave nectar, kiwano
Base: Haiti vetiver, vintage vanilla bean, golden amber

5 Fandom Friday - Favorite Funko Pop Figures

This is a fun topic! I just wish I had more Funkos in my collection to choose from! Actually, I had planned on writing a post on all my Funkos, but then I saw this 5 Fandom Friday, and decided to wait it out. Expect that post later this week probably.




Favorite Funko Pop Figures



1: Baymax

Immediately after watching the movie, I wanted something Baymax. So I went to the Disney store. They didn't have anything. So I went online and ordered a Funko. Hee. He's a bit larger than the other Funko Pop Figures, and he might be pearlescent? Super cute. He shipped super fast too!! I ordered him December 16th, and he was at my door by the 18th. It was most welcome, because this Baymax is adorable. ♥ ♥ ♥






2: Castiel

Castiel and Crowley are my favorite characters on Supernatural. I wanted this one for a while, but he was a Hot Topic exclusive and I despise the Hot Topic nearest me. It's sooo small, and there's always so many people and... I have a fear of crowds and small spaces. I tend to want to wander HT, go in 1/4 of the way, then freak out and leave. At cons, he sells for $40+ because he's exclusive. So I kept looking at him online. And in December I found someone on Ebay selling him for $20 shipped. Which was an acceptable amount for me to pay, so I nabbed him. I love Cas. He's adorable. I also need the Crowley Funko. Someday.






3: Dancing Groot

This one! HEEEE! At... Chicago Comic Con, I was looking for regular Groot, (that same month was when Loot Crate had their exclusive version. Oh how I wish I could have that one!) and I found one finally for $20, which made me happy, but then I saw this version and HAD TO HAVE IT. So cute!! I placed a pre-order, and got it a month sooner than I thought I would! And then, last month, I was at Walgreens and happened to find one there. So I grabbed it! Am I keeping both? Maybe. Or maybe I'll give the extra one away! Haha.






4: Dr. Hooves

I picked this guy up at the Doctor Who convention last year, Chicago TARDIS. Of course I picked him up. I'm new to the My Little Pony Fandom, so he's my first pony Funko. And he's adorable. I loves him. I picked two Funkos up at that convention, but the second one didn't make this list, so you'll meet that one soon. Haha. (Or you can catch a glimpse to the right of this picture... lol)






5: Stone Cold Steve Austin

When I was... a baby? Haha. VERY YOUNG. Until I turned 13 or so, I loved... wrestling. It was a family love. Everyone loved wrestling. WWF and WCW. Old school stuff man. My favorites included Shawn Michaels, Brett Hart, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Al Snow. Then in the mid to late 90's and early 2000's, Stone Cold Steve Austin showed up. And I was hooked on him. I loved this guy. (Can you tell I was never really "girly" as a kid? lol) I couldn't get enough. Mom bought me a subscription to RAW Magazine, because between that and WWF Magazine, RAW was the more "inappropriate" one, and therefore had more Steve Austin in it. I bought everything Steve Austin. You know those foam fingers you see at sports arenas? Steve Austin had a black middle finger. And damned right I had one. I had a Stone Cold license plate. And an Austin 3:16 flag that is still around. And like I mentioned in my song 5 fandom, I had posters of this guy on my wall, right next to my BSB and NSYNC posters. So I HAD to get the Funko. He reminds me of my childhood. And he'll always be a part of that.




Phew! I wrote way more than I thought I would. lol.






Iggle Squiggle's 5 Fandom Friday

Goals for this year

So New Year's Eve came and went without me setting resolutions. I've always hated the idea of resolutions, so this isn't a new occurrence. However, over the month of January, I realized I did have some goals for this year.  So I thought I'd share them.


1. Be healthier 
I just want to make some healthier choices. Eating, drinking, exercise, overall I just need to take better care of myself. I want to be able to look at myself in the mirror and accept the way I look. I would love to actually enjoy shopping for clothes. I think my unhealthy habits are affecting me too much negatively, so that really needs to change.



2. Get more involved with Iggle Crafts
Last January, I decided I wanted a craft challenge that others might participate in too. So I created one. And there's been a new challenge every month since. This year there's been talk of doing a google hangout mid month with a paint challenge. I couldn't do it in January because I was still battling a flu, so instead we did a live tweet, and it was fabulous. I'm hoping this month I'll either work out a google hangout, or maybe just make a youtube video with the directions. And I'm aiming to do this every month.



3. Take care of my nails again
In January, I experienced quite a few panic attacks. I was intensely stressed. As a result, I started chewing on my nails and cuticles. Something I haven't done since I was 12. And because of that, my nails, nail beds, and cuticles are all cracked/peeling/bleeding/hurting/etc. It hasn't been this bad.. since I was 12. I need to start taking care of my nails again, so I can start painting them again. I used to enjoy painting my nails. I'd like to start again.



4. Be more productive
I'm a night person. Boyfriend is a morning person. So, I've been trying to get my sleep schedule to something "normal". This proves to be ineffective for me production wise. I get less done because I'm most productive at night. There's so much on my to do list and it just keeps piling up because I'm forcing my internal clock to change. This just isn't working. Time to figure out a schedule that's more efficient for me.



5. Finish Zombie dolls
Turning a normal doll in to a zombie doll was an Iggle Craft Challenge for October last year. I had a vision of creating more than one zombie doll. But time got away from me. Things started taking precedence. I got busy. Those dolls are still not done. I keep thinking things like, "well, maybe next month I'll have time to work on them..." But then the next month comes and goes and it's a circle. It has to do with my inefficient schedule. I might have them done by now if I could finish everything else on my to-do list. This year... I hope... I'll finish them.



6. Finish mock art/junk journal
I've always been fascinated by these art journals / junk journals, and so I started making a "mock" journal just to try methods out and work on things and whatnot. But I had to stop working on it at the end of last year, because there just wasn't time. I would love to finish this mock journal before I try making a "real" one.



7. Make art/junk journal(s)
This one coincides with the previous goal. Once I finish the mock journal, I would love to make an art/junk journal for myself for real. And then maybe some extra ones to try and sell somehow. Ha. Goals.



8. Get organized
I started the list with an important goal, and I'm ending the list with an important goal. The situation at this house made me lose my craft room. Things were put in to boxes. And that's how I worked on things. I'd pull items out of boxes, then sit in the dining room to craft. But then the dining room became unavailable. And now I've got nowhere.

Because of the lack of place, I've been purchasing supplies and whatnot and leaving them in bags in a pile in the storage room. Thinking I could go back to that pile for the supplies when I need them. But it's gotten out of hand. I'm losing things I thought I put somewhere I'd remember. Things need to change.

There's a possibility of me finding a space in the basement to turn in to a craft area. It's going to be a terrible place to craft, but it's going to be somewhere. And eventually I'll pick up a small table that will work better, and possibly shelves. This will work, dammit. And I'll be able to work on things without digging through what always seems like the same damned bags without finding what I'm looking for.



Here's hoping for a more successful year!!

Quick Review Tea Post

As I mentioned in my Not-So-Secret Not-So-Christmas Santa post, I got this tea from my lovely buddy! I certainly didn't wait long at all before I opened one to try it!

One of my favorite teas is from Tazo - their Calm Chamomile tea. When I mentioned it on the twitters a while back, my buddy responded with how she loved their Passion tea. I had never tried it before, so she threw in a few packets for me!


As soon as the hot water touched the tea bag, I could smell the tangy fruit. The tea was a pretty reddish - purple. I tried it without any sweetener first, and it was very fruity and quite a bit tart. Too tart for me to drink on its own, so I added a bit of honey.

Overall I love this tea. It tastes fruity and fresh and mmmm. Delicious!