It is trendy these days for people to wear sexualized Halloween costumes. I confess that I will succumb to the trend this year.
What will you wear? If you're a mom, you've got a lot of options. Suzanne Fleet has photographed 8 wonderful possibilities that reflect actual parenting. They're all really easy to make. You can probably assemble them from your everyday gear. What will you be--the Crazy Carpool Mom or the Dirty Delouser?
Today, I was at the mall with my young daughter. I hate pooping in public but I really had to go so I brought her in with me. Thinking we were alone, I started to go and my daughter yelled, "Good job, mommy, you're using the potty like a big girl!" I then heard laughing. FML
• $4.99
Last night I had a Kitchn Cookbook event at Baker & Spice, a wonderful bakery and shop in Portland. They had this hand soap by the sink and I loved it. It was gentle on the hands, and it had a scent that smelled the way that peppermint tea tastes.
Here are the first-gen starter Pokémon, looking as adorable as ever—but in a physical, huggable form. They come courtesy of Ashley Muldoon, who sells crocheted dolls in her Etsy shop, StarCraftsCo. She's planning to do the third-gen starters next, in honor of the impending release of Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.
Also, big ups to the guy that just abandoned his girlfriend after inadvertantly knocking her into the lake. The only thing that's getting murdered today is their relationship.
Submitted by: (via pranks)
Image: George Veltchev
So many animal species have familial bonds that, in their own ways, are equal the strength of ours. In a sense they are more intense than ours, in that humans rarely are forced to defend the lives of their family members in the face of predators looking to kill them. Whether protective and loving behaviors among animals are the result of instinct, emotional attachment or both, evidence of it abounds, and it makes for sweet photographs and in-person observations.
See more photographs from this collection here.
Image: Daniel Cadieux
Image: Lina D.
Image: Marina Cano
Image: Brendon Jennings
Image: Thomas Kokta
Image: Val
Image: ysaleth
In this section of the forthcoming book, I’m going over exactly what a birth plan is, and decided to have some fun with the definition and explanation.
This comes straight from the second draft. It might not even make the book. It was too good to possible let it hit the editing room floor. Also ignore all the mistakes IT’S A ROUGH DRAFT DAMN IT!!!!
Hopefully I don’t piss off the publisher. Maybe they won’t be so mad if people preorder the book now. <—— HINT HINT!
Click here to preorder The New Dad Dictionary: Everything He Really Needs to Know - from A to Z
Any chef will tell you, a sharp knife is the most important tool in the kitchen. I have tried many different types of sharpening methods, from stones to steels, electric to manual. Stones are hard to use because you need to maintain a very consistent angle while using it, and other gimmicky sharpening tools are just not good enough to give you a good edge. And very, very few can sharpen a serrated blade. I won’t lie — I can’t use a manual sharpening stone to save my life.
My dad got me the Work Sharp WSKTS Knife and Tool Sharpener and I swear I’ve never seen its equal. It is approximately the size of an electric drill and uses sanding belts of three different grits: 80 for repairing blades, 220 for sharpening, and 6000 for putting on that smooth polish. The sanding belts are very easy to change and last long enough for you to sharpening everything in the house, from your scissors and kitchen knives to axe and lawnmower blades. The head of the tool swivels so you can use it free-hand to sharpen very large items, like shovels.
One of the best features is the guards that attach to the tool that keep the sharpening angle perfectly consistent. The first guard offers a 50° angle for large hunting and butchery knives, and a 40° angle for thinner knives. The second guard allows you to sharpen serrated blades and heavier outdoor blades.
Best of all, this sharpening system only costs around $70 and packs of 6 replacement belts cost around $9. They also offer packs of 2 diamond belts for around $26 for sharpening those pesky ceramic blades.
-- Joel Roush
Work Sharp WSKTS Knife and Tool Sharpener
$69
Available from Amazon
Adding herbs and spices to your culinary efforts can do wonders in the way of bringing out the flavors of their ingredients. While the words "herbs" and "spices" are often used interchangably, the herb refers to leafy portions of the plant, and spices are the product of any other part. Many are easy to grow at home; starting from seeds or a small plant can save money and add to your homemade dishes and salads. For those who are interested in honing their cooking skills or getting a better grasp of the flavors of herbs and spices, this guide created by Cooksmarts.com is a good foundation. -Via Design Taxi
Dressing up and going trick-or-treating with your kids is a big part of Halloween for most parents, and even if the little one isn't old enough to walk around town on their own it's still great fun to dress them up
Here's a collection of parent and child, or entire family, costume ideas to inspire and delight:
1. Cereal Mascot-
Carrying a baby around on your chest is never more fashionable than on Halloween night, when you can turn that little tot into a ferocious cereal mascot!
2. Duck Dynasty-
If you're dying to wear a fake beard with your costume then you might want to go as the cast of Duck Dynasty, complete with a little waddling duck! Or maybe it would be more fun to put a beard on your little one...
3. The Wizard of Oz-
Neil Patrick Harris and his adorable familly show us how to do Halloween in style with their amazing Wizard of Oz themed costumes.
4. Shark Attack!-
Are your little ones total terrors? Show the world what a day in the life of your fam looks like with this adorable Shark Attack costume set, and scare up some smiles!
5. A Christmas Story-
A Christmas Story is another great movie to use as inspiration for a family set of costumes, and you can easily swap roles so everybody's happy!
This one is similar to the cereal mascot costume, and also easy to rework in lots of fun ways. Maybe your baby is more of a Godzilla?
7. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory-
What kid doesn't dream of visiting Willy Wonka's chocolate factory? Now you can make their dreams come true in a really stylish way, and they can actually have fun dressing up with their parents!
8. Chef and Baby Lobster-
This is a great costume set for foodies, and your cute cuisine is sure to be the talk of the town!
9. Beetlejuice-
If your kids can handle watching Tim Burton's classic dark comedy Beetlejuice then maybe they're ready to scare up some fun with this quartet of costumes.
10. Zombie Hunter with pet zombie-
Fans of the Walking Dead will love this horrifyingly good idea for a costume- little zombie slayer and her pet walker. But be forewarned- your kid might not want to let you off the leash without a fight!
11. Pokemon Trainer and Pikachu-
When you gotta catch 'em all you might as well catch the cutest one in the bunch! Maybe your little one is more of a Squirtle?
12. Where The Wild Things Are-
Halloween can be a really wild romp when you dress your kid up as Max and let your beastly side shine through.
13. Rock N Roll-
Your little bundle of joy will have an axe to grind if you dress them up as a cute little guitar, but when they get older they'll appreciate being part of a rockin' family band!
14. Labyrinth cast-
Labyrinth is one magical movie, and the variety of characters make for a great set of family costumes:
And if you've got some serious costume fabrication skills you can include Ludo in your family's Labyrinth costume
15. Adventure Time-
Adventure Time is all the rage with kids of all ages these days, so dressing up like characters from the show is sure to make you a smash hit on the sidewalk this Halloween!
16. Despicable Me-
Your little minions will love helping you pull off the greatest heist in Halloween history- filling up the trick-or-treat bags in no time thanks to your family's fabulous Despicable Me themed costumes!
17. Ghostbusters-
If there's something strange in your spare bedroom it's probably just an adorable little Stay Puft marshmallow kid, ready to share their sweetness with the rest of the Halloweenies!
18. Snow White Prince and Dwarf-
Every kid loves Snow White, but if you decide to dress up as the cast of the classic animated film you may end up battling with your daughter over who gets to be Snow White! Better dress up like the cast when your kid's too little to argue!
Or if you're looking for something more elaborate with your older kids here's a great idea with the parents playing the villains
19. The Flintstones-
Flintstones themed costumes are fun and easy to put together, and if another family joins you they can come as the Rubbles, because what's baby Pebbles without her buff beau Bam-Bam?!
20. Batman and Bane-
Last but not least we have the most heroic costume combo of them all- Daddy Bane battling a mighty tiny Bat-baby! Superhero-villain combos make for great family costumes, or you can start your own Justice League family and trick-or-treat with power!
Hopefully this collection of family costumes will inspire you to get in on the Halloween night fun, it's never too early to teach your kids how to have a great time enjoying the spookiest night of the year!
1. Don't be irreplaceable. If you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted.
2. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a broken fan belt and leaky tire.
3. It’s always darkest before dawn. So if you're going to steal your neighbour's newspaper, that's the time to do it.
4. Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me either.
Just pretty much leave me alone.
5. Always remember that you're unique. Just like everyone else.
6. Never test the depth of the water with both feet.
7. If you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing a couple of car payments.
8. Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away
and you have their shoes.
9. If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is probably not for you.
10. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.
11. If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably a wise investment.
12. If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.
13. Some days you're the bug; some days you're the windshield.
14. Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.
15. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it back in your pocket.
16. A closed mouth gathers no foot.
17. Duct tape is like 'The Force'. It has a light side and a dark side, and it holds the universe together.
18. There are two theories to arguing with women. Neither one works.
19. Generally speaking, you aren't learning much when your lips are moving.
20. Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.
Halloween parties are all the rage with everybody from 3 to 103, and with good reason- candy, costumes and creepy decorations makes for one heck of a bash!
If you're planning on throwing a party this Halloween then you should take a look at these tutorials that cover the decor and the food, so you'll be ready to greet your ghoulish guests in style.
1. Wine Glass Mummy Candle Holder-
Decorating around the house means setting the right Halloween mood, and as every Halloweenie knows candlelight is just right.
These cute mummy candle holders are cleverly made out of dollar store wine glasses, and since you're doing the decorating you can paint them up to look like whichever monsters you like!
2. and 3. Spooky Wreaths-
This fun variation on the traditional Christmas wreath is starting to catch on, like the Halloween tree, as a yearly tradition, and with these fun and easy tutorials your door will be stylin' all through the Hallowmas season.
Here's a variation on the same theme, from the same source, that uses skulls instead of bony hands.
4. Modge Podge Monsters-
Not every piece of Halloween home decor has to be scary- these modge podge monsters can be just as cute, or terrifying, as you want them to be.
They're fun for the whole family, suitable for display outdoors and built to last. And the best part- they're made out of stuff you can find at the dollar store!
5. Halloween Wine Bottle Lamp-
This glowing bottle lamp adds a touch of class to any crypt, and makes for excellent Halloween party mood lighting.
6. Hanging Ghost Decorations-
These quick and easy hanging ghost decorations might not look like the most amazing Halloween themed home decor you've ever seen, but the concept is a great jumping off point for your own decorations.
Add glow-in-the-dark paint to the foam sphere, cover with sheer gauzy fabric splattered with glow paint, and watch your guests marvel at your spirit wrangling skills.
BONUS- Here's an alternate tutorial that shows you how to make a floating ghost decoration that can be hung from the ceiling or used as a tabletop display.
7. Jack-O-Lantern Flower Vase-
Again this is more of a cool concept than an in-depth tutorial, and if you use a fake pumpkin you'll have it for years to come.
(while you're there check out the rest of their simple 3-step Halloween craft tutorials)
8. Rainbow Skull Garland-
What party would be complete without some colorful garlands hanging across the doorways? Garlands make everything look all festive and spooky, and this fun project can be completed by critters of all ages.
And now it's on to the goodies! Here are some frightfully fun food ideas to keep your guests from eating each other!
9. Veggie Skeleton-
The veggie skeleton is another concept that simply screams to be made your own way, and with all kinds of room for variation you can construct your own crunchy cadaver out of your favorite fruits, vegetables, or other finger foods.
10. Cheesecake Stuffed Chocolate Cupcakes-
Cupcakes are delicious, and make for a perfect party dessert, but your guests will really be blown away when they bite into that delicious cupcake and discover a cheesecake pumpkin inside!
11. Blood Orange Spritzers-
This delicious drink will wow your guests, and make the bloodsuckers in your brood grin with delight.
12. Mummy Chicken Pot Pies-
Suitable to serve as a main course, or simply as a great looking individual serving appetizer, these mummy chicken pot pies take a bit of preparation, but the end result is simply too cool to keep under wraps.
13. and 14. Scary Body Part Shaped Snacks-
Nothing says Halloween like body part shaped food, and your guests will giggle with glee when they see these fun, and only slightly gross, looking body part foods on your table.
These Scary Apple Mouths, with almond teeth and a peanut butter tongue, won't bite back-
Then there's the ultimate finger food, made with pretzel sticks and candy melts-
15. Halloween Muffin Tin Meal-
This fun Halloween themed muffin tin meal features an assortment of colorful characters that are good looking and good to eat!
With all the fun finger foods contained within this plate full of fun kids will be begging for seconds, and you'll be delighted with how easy these meals are to prepare!
16. Candy Corn Cheesecake In A Jar-
Nothing says successful Halloween party like a cool takeaway for your guests.
These quick, easy, and inexpensive Candy Corn Cheesecakes in a jar will keep your guests talking about your amazing bash until you outdo yourself next year!
Hopefully these quick and easy tutorials will be just the thing to make your Halloween party a spook-tacular event and a graveyard smash! Happy Halloween!
That’s what “outlet store” originally meant: an outlet for stuff that clothing companies wanted to get rid of: items from previous seasons that didn’t sell, overruns, and so on. In most outlet stores, that’s no longer the case.
Okay, but what about the department store-branded outlets both online and in malls, like Neiman Marcus Last Call Studio or Nordstrom Rack? Yeah, a Neiman Marcus representative explained to Racked that the merchandise in the Last Call Studio stores is made by the same designers as items in a regular Neiman Marcus store, but they cost less. They’re for “aspirational shoppers” who value the cachet of a big brand name. Nordstrom, meanwhile, explained that about 80% of the items sold at Nordstrom Rack stores are designed and made especially for the outlet market.
How can you find out? Check the tags: items from previous seasons or overstock from retail stores will have their tags marked, removed, or cut. (This also applies to closeout stores like Marshalls: most items there are made only for the closeout market as well.)
When a manufacturer is being honest about it, items made for the outlet market only will have some kind of differentiating mark: for Banana Republic, for example, outlet items have three diamonds on the label under the store name. The Old Navy/Gap/Banana Republic brand ladder has plenty of outlets scattered across the country, but they claim that they no longer sell overstock or previous-season items in their outlets.
Buyer Beware: What You’re Actually Getting at Outlet Stores [Racked]
PREVIOUSLY:
8 Tips To Get The Best Bargains On Your Next Outlet Shopping Trip
How To Avoid The Nefarious Tricks Of Outlet Malls
·I tried to catch some fog. I mist.
·When chemists die, they barium.
·Jokes about German sausage are the wurst.
·I know a guy who's addicted to brake fluid. He says he can stop any time.
·How does Moses make his tea? Hebrews it.
·I stayed up all night to see where the sun went. Then it dawned on me.
·This girl said she recognized me from the vegetarian club, but I'd never met herbivore.
·I'm reading a book about anti-gravity. I can't put it down.
·I did a theatrical performance about puns. It was a play on words.
·The Energizer bunny was arrested and charged with battery.
·The old man didn't like his beard at first. Then it grew on him.
·Did you hear about the cross eyed teacher who lost her job because she couldn't control her pupils?
·When you get a bladder infection, urine trouble.
·What does a clock do when it's hungry? It goes back four seconds.
·I wondered why the baseball was getting bigger. Then it hit me!
·Broken pencils are pointless.
·What do you call a dinosaur with a extensive vocabulary? A thesaurus.
·England has no kidney bank, but it does have a Liverpool.
·I used to be a banker, but then I lost interest.
·All the toilets in New York 's police stations have been stolen. Police have nothing to go on.
·I got a job at a bakery because I kneaded dough.
·Velcro - what a rip off!
·Cartoonist found dead in home. Details are sketchy.
·Venison for dinner? Oh deer!
·Earthquake in Washington obviously government's fault.
·I used to think I was indecisive, but now I'm not so sure
