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white girl gets tan.

i am pale. Like, really pale. While I do tan well in the summer, it requires a lot of dedication and time spent under the sun. So when I’m feeling a little pasty and wanting a boost of melanin, I turn to my trusty local VersaSpa. It’s a spray tan system, comparable to Mystic Tan, but I find that it gives much better results. A few minutes of crazy arm positions and cold spritzes of tanning mist and you have got yourself some bronzed skin. Instant gratification. Which I am a huge fan of.

(via)

I know you skeptics are raising your eyebrows and feeling all sorts of apprehension about spray tans, but I have been going to VersaSpa for years haven’t had a bad result thus far. The color doesn’t turn orange or get streaky. My closest VersaSpa is at Planet Beach, and I get the medium shade with bronzer and moisturizer, which works well for my skin tone. While, yes, it is more expensive than my go-to tanning towels, it gives a much better, much more even result.

I like this tanning fix much more than the tanning bed option especially after new studies and articles came out deeming tanning beds to be as carcinogenic as mustard gas. Just because I decided to stick to my spray tanning doesn't mean I'm hating on you fake bakers... I actually worked at a tanning salon in high school and looooved it. My personal reasoning for sticking to the spray tanning also stems from the chunk of skin cancer that my dad had dug out of his hand last month. Eek! So the next time you’re in the need of some glowing skin, hit up a VersaSpa and tell me what you think.

change is good.

I’m changin’ things up at The Blog About Everything. I have decided to move my blog from posterous to blogger. While I love the simplicity of posterous, I feel like blogger is a better layout for me. Since I don’t speak HTML, it is hard for me to customize my space at posterous, and with blogger it is easier to make this space my own.
Obviously because I am changing hosts, my web address is changing as well. I know….this is a lot of change to take in at once, but you can handle it!
My old address was
www.everythingblog.posterous.com
and is now:
www.blogabouteverything.net
Now go edit your bookmarks and make sure my new address is in there so you can keep up with the fun.  And don’t forget to look around the new page. Tell me what you think!

mushroom grilled cheese.

I am definitely a fan of a good grilled cheese sandwich. There is something wonderfully satisfying about this toasty sandwich and the nostalgia that accompanies it.  Its one of those classic pairings that tastes good whether its dressed up or down. While the classic grilled cheese is brilliant on its own, I was feeling the need for a more grown up version.

I found this recipe for a grilled cheese with mushrooms and once I was finished wiping the drool from my face, I realized I had to make it for dinner. And that is exactly what I did. It isn’t much more difficult than making a traditional grilled cheese,therefore, I must recommend you whip this up for yourself! I added a slice of avocado to mine because, lets face it, what doesn’t need a slice of avocado.

things that make me smile.

It is Monday again, and time to roll out the things that are making me smile. I have some exciting things to look forward to this week, such as seeing Miranda Lambert at the San Antonio Rodeo, and then attending what is sure to be a lovely wedding this weekend. I am eager to have some good times with some sweet friends, but until then, here are the things that I have been enjoying as of late.

::an entire packet of pink mentos::

::some lovely bangels from a lovely valentine::

::tea & honey that has been soothing my throat all weekend::

::walking the dog in the gorgeous 70 degree february weather::

::sweet treats in the window of an ice cream shop::

reminiscing

I have been feeling under the weather for the past few days, so my activities have been less than blogworthy. So while I’ve been couch bound, unable to do anything fun, what could be better than reminiscing about exciting things I have done? So between naps and doses of codeine (I have a prescription, people), I have waded through the piles of used tissues to put together some videos of my trip to Europe last year.
I went backpacking with the man last October and brought a Flip video camera with me to document the trip. While you may not have a wonderful time watching the shaky footage, it brings back great memories of a fantastic vacay. This video is compiled of footage from the last days of our time in Munich, Germany. So kick back, relax, and enjoy watching my ridiculous antics for 5 minutes straight.
(and I apologize in advance if you become seasick from the wobbly footage)

annnddd....just in case you missed the previous videos you can catch them here:
Munich day 1
Prague

v-day (or anyday) treats

My love for sweet treats lives on with these little sweet and salty numbers. I usually receive these pretzel buttons around Christmastime with red and green M&Ms, but saw these valentines-inspired versions and realized I could make them whenever I wanted! Target was fresh out of pink and red M&M’s, so I just picked up the traditional colors and they look just as cheery. So if you’re in the mood for something simple, sweet, and salty, just follow these directions for a delicious Valentines (or anytime) snack.

Supplies: pretzels (I used mini squares), Kisses (or Hugs!), M&M’s.
1. preheat oven to 200 degrees
2. line baking sheet with foil & spread out pretzels
3. top each pretzel with a Kiss (or Hug!)
4. pop them into the oven for 2-4 minutes
5. press an M&M into each Kiss
6. let them cool (I stuck mine in the fridge because I’m rather impatient)
enjoy!

things that make me smile.

I don’t know anybody who looks forward to a Monday. I have a very flexible schedule and don’t always have to work on this particular day, but I still find myself grumbling Sunday night about the impending morning. Even though I have the day off, I think this cold, dreary Monday could use some cheer. I have decided to conjure up a list of things that make me smile, hopefully setting the tone for the week by beginning on a positive note.  So next time you have a case of the Mondays, remember the little things that make you smile.

::looking forward to dinner with a dear friend before she moves across the country::

::new jewels that recently arrived in the mail::

::a carousel for my K-cup collection::

::OPI's Nicki Minaj collection::

::teaching myself to knit::

diy wreath.

Seeing as how my addiction to pinterest is spiraling out of control, it makes sense that I post about a pinterest-inspired idea. This wreath is super simple to make and very easily customizable to your personal preferences. I personally love wreaths (obviously, or why the heck would I be fashioning my own and then writing about it?) and think they make my door look very inviting and nice.

I cannot, for the life of me, find the original pin of this wreath. Regardless, I had to tweak the original idea to make it look better against my dark green door. The whole thing cost just a few bucks if you hit up Hob Lob when all of the floral stuff is 50% off. It is a super simple project, and the only reason it takes longer than fifteen minutes to make is because you have to wait for the spray paint to dry.

Here's how its done:

supplies: grapevine wreath, spray paint, silk flowers, ribbon, wooden initial, ribbon

1. spray grapevine wreath. (if you dont have one of these trigger attachments, i highly reccomend that you get one!)
2. separate flowers from their stems and hot glue them to the wreath
3. paint wooden initial
4. glue one end of the ribbon to the initial, and the other to the top of the wreath
5. slap on a bow, and hang it on your door!
Obviously, feel free to mix up the paint colors/flowers/ribbon and show me how yours turned out! enjoy!