Get Ready for Halloween! Crafts and Treats

The time has finally arrived to transform your living space into a world of ghosts, goblins, and witches. Pumpkins carved and made into jack-o-lanterns, candy corn on the table, apples waiting to be dipped into luscious, gooey caramel, and the best part of all, being able to dress up as someone else for one night.

Finding or, better yet, creating the perfect costume and decorating doesn't have to be difficult or expensive. With just a few simple household items, beautiful crafts and decorations can be made that are fun for the whole family and bring a little Halloween spirit and the warmth of autumn into your home.

I love getting ready for special events or holidays, being able to create an atmosphere that embodies an entire theme or season brings so much happiness and really allows for a space to feel like another world. If your planning on throwing a Halloween party or simply just want to have some fun and get into the spirit, try a few or these recipe or craft ideas to get your mind churning.

Egg Carton Spiders
http://crafts.holidays.net/view_craft.php?id=307

What you need:
Empty egg carton
Black washable paint
Black pipe cleaners
Googly eyes
White craft glue
One paper clip
Scrap newspaper

Directions
1. Cut the egg carton into twelve cups.

2. Paint the cups inside and outside with black paint. Allow to dry thoroughly on a piece of newspaper.

3. Open up on the paper clip and use the end to poke four holes on either side of the cup.

4. Cut four 7-inch lengths of pipe cleaners.

5. Thread the pipe cleaners through one side of the cup and out the other side of the cup. The ends should be equal on each side. Bend them upward at the base of the cup, then downward to creat the appearance of knees and feet.

6. Glue on the googly eyes.

Learn to make homemade candy apples:




Making pumpkin decorations!


I hope these videos and ideas get you in the spirit and give you a little inspiration to get started on your decorations, it's all about having fun and being creative :)

Thai Food Craving!

I am a complete foodie! At times I get this sudden urge to eat something spicy! Last night, while I was studying for my mid term, I got a sudden craving for Thai food. :| Well, it was 11pm, and I did not know what to do! I couldn't even concentrate on my studies. All I could think of was Nasi lemak. While my friends were making fun of me, I started searching for good and very affordable Thai places in Philly which would be open at such odd hours! And, I came across this website: http://www.phillybananaleaf.com/index.html

I saw the menu, and there it was - MY NASI LEMAK for $5.95 only!!! :D I left my books, got into Market-Frankfort train and reached the restaurant! :D
Excellent food, amazing customer service, quick food, and very affordable!!!

So, the next time you have a craving like me, Banana Leaf is the place to be. :P

P.S: This is how amazing my food looked like! :D



-Your foodie TA,
Tanvi! :D

Ways to De-Stress

Stressed?? Yes, I know. Week 3 has come and gone and I know that things can get stressful for people, expecially with midterms coming up. Here are some ways to de-stress. Incorporate them into your life and see how your life can be a less stressful.

Exercise regularly- this is one of the best ways to reduce stress and it keeps you healthy. Go for a run or jog, go to the gym or go to the REC center and check out all the fun activities they have to offer.

Eat healthfully- Eating healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, protein, grain, and calcium products and drinking at least six glasses of water per day enables our bodies to function in a much more efficient fashion.

Meditation, yoga, and tai chi- or just close your eyes and take deep breaths. These only take a few moments. Taking deep breaths that flow into our stomach and not just to the lungs quickly decreases stress; also deep breathing also tends to slow down heart rate.

Shrug your shoulders- tensing the shoulders while raising them to the ears and then totally relaxing them a few times, quickly releases tension.

Stretching- is a terrific way to control stress as many of us feel muscle tension when stressed.

Be Positive-. Negative self-talk puts a tremendous strain on both the body and self-esteem. Most of us aren't even aware of how we talk to ourselves or the negative messages and beliefs we harbor in our heads. Make a daily affirmation if you have to. Take a look at this young lady’s. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR3rK0kZFkg

GET SOME SLEEP!!- seven to nine hours of sleep are needed to allow the body to recover and regenerate. I know, right your probably laughing. When do you have time to sleep?! Make time, take naps if you have to but definitely make time.

Be Social- We are social beings, not islands, others can be a great source of support and may even be able to help lessen the load.

Do something fun- Make some time to listen to music, dance, go shopping, have a girl’s night, go to a concert, have a spa day, cook, spend time with family, friends or anything else you might enjoy. This goes a long way to alleviate stress.

Living a balanced life- All work and no play burns you out really quickly.

Celebrate October!

HAPPY OCTOBER 1st!

I know when you look outside this morning, the bleak cloudy sky and the tremendous wind may not initially inspire you to jump out of bed and begin celebrating but I'm hoping to change your mind and provide that little bit of brightness.

First of all, it's Friday! This fact in itself is always reason to smile.

Aside from that, October 1st is...

• Lee National Denim Day
• National Diversity Day
• UN International Day of Older Persons
• World Smile Day
• World Vegetarian Day
• Anniversary of Walt Disney World
• Anniversary of the CD Player and the Model T Ford
  
• Independence Day of Cyrus and Nigeria
• National Day in China

Not to mention October 1st marks the unofficial start to fall, which therefore means we can start preparing for all those comforting Holidays just around the corner.

The leaves are beginning to change into beautiful warm hues of red, umber, gold, and orange. Soon our kitchens will be filled with the comforting scent of homemade apple and pumpkin pie.

It's time to get into the Halloween spirit; decorate our windows with witch hat and jack-o-lantern stickers, watch horror films, pick out the perfect pumpkin, go for a spooky hayride, try desperately to find your way out of the corn maze (without getting confused by that scarecrow), and last but not least make it out alive of the haunted house!

For great holiday craft and food ideas visit www.holidays.net!

Some Halloween scary events and haunted houses you may be interested in are the Eastern State Penitentiary, which I personally thought was terrifying, and every year the Philadelphia Zoo has an event called Boo at the Zoo (this year it is October 16 and 17, and 23 and 24).

Don't forget every day there is a reason to celebrate, so today I encourage you to jump out of bed and celebrate the thing that means the most to you, whether it is that delicious peanut butter and jelly sandwich you made for lunch or the fact that it's Friday. Find something to smile about, because after all, it is World Smile Day.

Sending a little magic your way...