Bubblegum and Marceline + LSP

I am a total Adventure Time fan girl. The origin stories of each character really draw me in, I easily relate to the characters and it is so kawaii. M is a lot like Marceline mixed with a bit of Bubblegum and I am a lot like Bubblegum with a large dose of LSP.

http://adventure-time-gif.tumblr.com/

The Princess Day Episode gives me total flashbacks of our antics. The clip below catches the moment when all of the shenanigans start. You can watch the full version, Season 6 Episode 14, on Hulu.

I can totally relate to Bubblegum's determination to finish her crossword. For me it would probably be a book, notebook or cellphone article. It's serious business, obviously.

Giphy

I don't remember which episode this gif is from but it is so us.

Amazon

Apparently there is even a comic mini series starring Marceline and Bubblegum called Marceline and the Scream Queens. Totally on my Wish List now.

Rebloggy

I shall leave you all with Catventure Time because it is just the cutest. I totally want a Catventure Time shirt. Graphic tees forever! LSP is my favorite here, so grumpy.

Random thoughts of the day:

Almost makes me want a bunch of fluffy cats so I can dress them up like this. Over it though. I like leather furniture too much, I think it's cruel to declaw, and I despise the fact that they eat birds. Total dog person now, especially corgis! I was totally fascinated by the whole cats vs cucumbers trend though. So weird.

<3 KM

Mealworms Eat Styrofoam!!! Random News

As you may have heard, there are tons and tons of plastics floating in our oceans. Much of this debris is plastic which will never degrade. Animals often eat the floating debris or get caught in it and die. It is just awful.

That's where these lovely little worms come in! I still think they look absolutely disgusting but the fact that they eat styrofoam earns them tiny super hero status.

Mealworms contain enzymes in their gut which can actually digest styrofoam. Scientists are studying these enzymes in order to synthesize a similar substance which may be able to disintegrate trash island and/or create other products that are easier to biodegrade. During the initial study Scientists found, "larvae that ate a diet subsisting strictly of Styrofoam were as healthy as mealworms eating a normal diet of bran (CNN)."

Trash island is apparently more like a highly concentrated plastic confetti solution rather than actual trash but it is still highly problematic for most ocean animals. Barnacles seem to love it though (iO9).

I feel like telling the whole world about these awesome creatures. Thanks for tuning in. Now if you have some extra mealworms lying around after feeding your strange pets you can help the environment by biodegrading some styrofoam - for the good of us all!

Although this is awesome it isn't a free pass to use plastic and styrofoam carelessly. Plastic pollution is still a huge problem and plastic manufacturing yields toxic byproducts. You can read more about the awful properties of styrofoam at EarthResource.org.

<3 KM

Household Tips we wish we would have thought of sooner!

Leaving the nest and living on your own can be a challenge. The things that we didn't learn while growing up amazes us. I guess we just weren't paying attention :P. Here is a list of some random household tips and tricks that we have learned along the way, and really wish that we would have thought of sooner.

Disclaimer: This list contains many revelations that occurred in the form of "duh" moments. Sometimes we seriously wonder how we've survived this long.


KM's Tips

• If something is stuck to the bottom of a pan put a thin layer of water in the pan to cover it and heat it up until the stuck stuff becomes soft. Hot water also works wonders to dissolve stuck on sugary residue left in pans and bowls after baking or cooking sweets. I can't believe how many pots and pans I needlessly scrubbed to pieces after my many cooking experiments.

• Want a quick way to steam your veggies but don't want to use one of those steamer things that covered pan like this. Then place your prepped and cleaned veggies in the pan, cover and steam on medium - medium high until just tender. When the veggies are done pour them into a colander to drain and rinse with cold water to shock them and brighten their color. Season to taste. Thanks Rachel Ray!

• Do you have mystery marks left on your counter, sink, bathtub or other places? Make a paste of something like Bon Ami and water, rub it into the stain and let it sit for awhile. Then scrub it off in a circular motion. I learned about Bon Ami from another blogger and use it to clean just about everything. It's earth friendly and its so cheap! 

• Always have a ton of dishes to wash? Try to become a dish minimalist and donate any excessive dishes you may have or hide extras away in a closet for when company comes over. If you only have a small amount of dishes, you will be forced to wash them before your next meal. Alternatively you can get differently colored dishes and assign one color to each person. I just did that with my kid's cups and it totally saves my sanity. 

• Magic. Erasers. If you haven't tried these yet they are such a lifesaver. I don't know why it took me so long to buy one lol! They make the very best dry erase board erasers in addition to all of the other random stuff that they can do.

MR's Tips

• Never mix ammonia and bleach no matter how dirty your toilet is. It creates toxic gases that can kill you: chemical warfare in your own powder room. This happened and it was bad. We don't even keep ammonia in the house anymore. 

• Vinegar is an all-purpose cleaner. Works for toilets, sinks, counters - even floors. And I've never heard of it killing anyone. Use distilled white vinegar. 

•  Always put on gloves when using stainless steel cleaner. What happens if you don't wear gloves? It itches and burns... and peels... and smells really bad. 

• Baking soda, borax, and castle soap make inexpensive laundry detergent. You only have to use a tablespoon or two per load!
  

• Remember to water your cacti. They may be desert plants, but they will die if you forget them on the windowsill behind the  black-velvet curtains for 6 months. 

• This is a weird one that works for me: listen to the upbeat Cantonese opera tape you found on the ground while folding clothes or mopping. It will give you energy and make you want to do it faster to get the strange screeching out of your ears. This will probably work with any upbeat music you find intriguing, but is slightly grating. Also, don't lend your tape-player to someone who won't give it back.

• The best one ever. Have such low standards for what is considered clean that your significant other has no choice but to take over. Be nice, though - always thank and praise them, and when they are tired allow them to bribe you to do some of the work.

What helpful little things have you learned along this path called life?

<3 KM and MR

Say - Sunday Song Session #2

Standing up for yourself can be scary. It totally freaks me out but I do it anyway.

I am one of those people that used to say sorry for just being alive, I still do sometimes. I just really hate the feeling of being in someone else's way.

Now I realize that for the sake of myself and my family I just need to take care of our lives without worrying about other people's feelings so much. This can be so hard for sensitive people. I still care too much sometimes but in reality I now understand that everyone has to take care of their own stuff so in the long run it's no big deal it's just life. I am figuring out that there is a very fine line between assertive and bi**hy though and I'm still trying to figure out that balance haha.

I've also learned never to admit weakness. I know, I know.... by saying this I am totally admitting that I feel weak sometimes. I think it is okay to admit it to some people but for most of the public I feel like I gotta hold my head up high and smile even when I am hurting inside. First impressions are everything and you never know who you are going to meet no matter where you are. Besides, it's nice to break out of that bubble of pain anyways haha. Just get over it for a moment and deal with it later, as long as you deal with it. Dwelling sucks.

Wishing you all the very best!

<3 KM

PS: If you are interested in watching my first song post you can check it out here.

YouTube Newbie - my first song!

So I'm going for it, I just launched my first video on Youtube! 

I'm focusing on music so if you are into original songs please check it out. My plan is to start here and post weekly to improve my skill and give me a tangible music goal as I share some of my heart with y'all. 

Also if you have a channel of your own, let me know and I'll check it out! 

In case you're still reading:

I have written hundreds of songs - I started when I was like 5 but not all of them are publishable haha. I plan to post lots of those with some covers in the mix.

I am just learning the guitar so I hope to post some videos with my hubby because he is much, much better than I am when it comes to playing stringed instruments, which means he can play fancier stuff. It's in his blood.

<3 KM

UPDATE 01/27/15: I put all of my songs on Soundcloud now, it works better for me :).

Liebster Award for 11:42 Style!

Hi lovelies! 11:42 Style got nominated for a liebster award thanks to m.akua from Boomtownavenue. Thanks m.akua, we really appreciate the award!

Liebster awards are given from one blogger to another. It's kind of like saying, "I like your blog and I hope that you keep doing what you're doing." They are a great opportunity for gaining readership and fellowship. To read more about liebster awards check out this thorough post from Lorraine Reguly's Life.

Here are the rules:

• Shout out to the blog that nomiated you in a blog post and link back to their blog. 
• Tell your audience 11 random facts about yourself. 
• Answer 11 questions asked by your nominator. 
• Nominate 5-11 other blogs for a liebster award. They should have less than 200 followers. It's okay if they've already gotten an award.
• Come up with 11 new questions for your nominees. 
• Let your nominees know about their award so that they can participate if they chose to.

We like all of the 11s. 

11 random facts about KM:

1. I spent my first paycheck from my minimum wage high school job on a pair of 5 inch tall Steve Madden heels, black satin with ruffles. 
2. When I was four I cut off all my hair because I was pretending to be Rapunzel. 
3. I've wanted to be a singer ever since I bought "Pieces of You" by Jewel when I was small. 
4. I also wanted to be a fashion designer.
5. I'm a dreamer.
6. I once played Marty from Grease in a community production.
7. Some of my saddest childhood memories involve accidentally ruining my favorite clothes. 
8. I love just about anything in houndstooth print.
9. I've written about 200 songs in my life but only now I am learning to play an instrument while I sing.
10. My husband and I met in a bookstore parking lot. He was listening to Mars Volta which drew me in. 
11. My favorite brand of makeup is Urban Decay.

11 random facts about MR:

1. I like to sit down on the floor when a take showers.

2. I collect rusty metal objects I find on the ground.

3. I want to decorate my bathroom with octopuses, but it is almost impossible to find octopus themed bathroom items.

4. When I was in 8th grade I wanted to be a quantum physicist when I grew up.

5. I had only been going with my man for a month when we decided to drop out of college and move to the city together. We took the overnight train and we're still together 8 years later.

6. Whenever I can't think of a word, the word "blueberries" pops into my head.

7. I love reading about conspiracy theories. And people's crazy paranoias.

8. I love the smell of molten metal.

9. I dyed my hair crazy colors for about 10 years.

10. Lightning storms fill me with happy energy.

11. I love any textile that is amazingly soft: silk, minky, bamboo modal, cashmere etc.

Our answers to m.akua's questions:

What item do you use everyday?

KM: Liptstick.

MR: A smartphone with a pop-out keyboard.

What is your favorite online-shop?

KM: It's so hard to choose one! My favorites are H&M, Etsy and Nasty Gal.

MR: I guess Amazon because I don't really order from anywhere else repeatedly.

Who is your favorite designer?

KM: I love Meadham Kirchhoff but I settle for Free People which I also love. I am a sucker for Jeffrey Campbell shoes.

MR: Ernte. I love the color palate and all the excessive seams.

Where are you getting inspiration for your blog?

KM: It's usually inspired by something that I want but don't need. I like blogging because it turns my shopping habit into something productive.

MR: I have a bunch of pictures I saved on my computer over the years of items I thought were cool. Other than that, I just document things I end up doing normally, like getting dressed and cooking.

Why did you start blogging?

KM: I started blogging to encourage me to make my ambitions a reality. Plus I thought it would be fun to collab with M.

MR: Because KM asked me to and I thought it sounded like fun. I also thought it would help me be more open rather than just being the lurker that I tend to be.

What is your favorite quote?

KM: "Growth in wisdom may be exactly measured by decrease in bitterness." Friedrich Nietzsche

MR:  "The bird fights its way out of the egg. The egg is the world. Who would be born must first destroy a world." --Hesse

If you could live anywhere in the world, were would it be and why?

KM: I live in Hawai'i and it is beautiful here but way country. In my dreams I would like to live here for half of the year and in a city for the other half of the year, maybe Portland, London, New York or Chicago.

MR: I would be happy anywhere with a yard, good places to walk, lots of thunder storms, and an Asian grocery. I don't think that I've been enough places to answer this with confidence, but Cambodia and Morocco seem cool if I ever leave the US. The Democratic Republic of the Congo has more thunder storms than anywhere else... it seems more likely that I wouldn't get killed in Singapore, though.

Who is your favorite blogger and why?

KM: MR is my favorite blogger because she is ridiculously awesome. I also really like Kandee Johnson, Man Repeller and Adora BatBrat because I like their styles and they have interesting posts.

MR: I like when people tell their crazy stories in a blog. I like a window into experiences I would never have. My favorites are urbanparamedic.blogspot.com and eelkat.wordpress.com

How would you describe your style?

KM: Eclectic and full of contradictions. Tailored/grunge, bubblegum/goth, girly/tomboy, natural/barbie...

MR: Kickass comfort with a little dark-fairy thrown in.

What is your favorite beauty tip?

KM: As hard as it may be avoid overtweazing your brows. Full brows look better in pictures and you don't have to fill them in as much. I learned this the hard way.

MR: Coconut oil. It's good for skin, hair, and cooking!

Who do you look up to and why?

KM: Grace Lee Boggs. She is a social astivist that has done so much to create peace and equality within America. I think that her pursuits are some of the most important.

MR: Aeryn Sun because I want to be a space mercenary when I grow up  :P.    

KM's nominees:

Oddly Lovely
Styla Petite
Unicorn K
More Than Turquoise

MR's nominess:

lovin-fitness.blogspot.co.nz

photographedye.blogspot.co.uk

chaoticmermaid.blogspot.com

11 questions for our nominees:

1. What is your favorite pattern?
2. What is your favorite color?
3. What are you most proud of?
4. Are you a night owl or an early bird?
5. What is your favorite music genre or favorite bands?
6. What is your biggest passion?
7. What is your favorite brand of cosmetics? 
8. What is your favorite clothing item that you own? 
9. What would you consider your spirit animal and why?
10. What is your favorite thing to cook?
11. If you met a genie, what would your three wishes be?

Cyber Hippy Stuff

Life can be downright stressful sometimes and how you deal with it can say a lot about you. I have had quite a bit of stress in my life (hasn't everyone?) and lately I have just been focusing on how to live life more peacefully. I find as I grow older I really just need some time in my day where I can relax, breathe and just enjoy all that is going on, to really appreciate all that I have.

MR and I have been through a lot together in our 13 years of friendship. We have had perfect days and horrible days. She has been there through it all and that is just one reason that I love her forever. Now, things have settled down a bit and one of my biggest goals is to be a more peaceful, content and appreciative person each and every day because if I don't work at it, I can be kind of a rabble-rouser :P.

Here are some mantras that I have absorbed from various sources and experiences that help make my days more peaceful by avoiding conflict and centering my mind. I find that they come in handy in many situations:

• Tread lightly.
• Don't name names.
• Whisper when you feel like shouting.
• Focus on what you can do instead of what you can't do.
• Instead of being jealous of others, be happy for them.
• Never stop dreaming. 
• Be patient.
• Be kind. 
• Be thankful.
• Be humble.

These are all so simple but they really help me compose myself when I need to. It really helps me when someone is really getting on my nerves and I just keep reminding myself "Be kind, be kind, be kind..." in my head. Plus taking a moment to think really helps me collect my thoughts so I can respond better.

Another thing that I do is collect the horoscopes from the newspaper. Sometimes I lose them but other times I manage to keep them. They usually say something positive and/or constructive. I recently started collecting my favorites in a little covered dish. I wonder who writes them?

One thing my mom does is she writes about what brings her joy every day. This helps her truly appreciate her life and focus on the good. You could also thank those who bring you joy. Share the love!

What's your favorite peace keeper? 

<3 KM

In This Look:
Eyeshadow - "Seahorse Disourse" from the Lime Crime Aquataenia palette
Under Eye - "Nautilus Prime"from the Lime Crime Aquataenia palette
Lip color - "Crush" Urban decay Super-Saturated high gloss lip color 
Headband by Pink Pewter

Treat Yo'self

We all have things that we want but we don't really need. Here is our first list of those things. Maybe they would be good ideas for the "person who has everything."

KM's list

1. Cape Socks by DC Comics - Unnecessary but awesome.
2. Ka 'Oir Glitzsticks by Keyshia Ka 'Oir - I wonder if the glitter gets in your mouth? 
3. Flowery Deer headband by dolly darling - I may actually need these.
4. Lolita nail set by Aya1gou (Etsy) - Too adorable but they wouldn't last long on me. 
5. Coconut Candle by Diamond Candles - There is a ring hidden in each candle!
6. Basic brush set by Hakuhudo - I have passable brushes but I want these luxury ones.

MR's List

Hidden Pockets Coat - I love pockets. Secret pockets are even better. This coat is nothing but pockets. Alas, I have more than enough coats as it is. 

Medic Bag - Yes, I want to carry my own oxygen tank around with me. Not the most practical thing, but so what? It has so many pockets... *drool*

Monster Slippers - My feet are always cold, so I might really need something like this... I'll stick to warming my feet under my dog for now, though.

Aquarium Stripper Shoes - I was actually going to make some of these once, but then I realized I had nowhere to wear them and I can't walk in heels.

Heavy and Speed Bag Stand Combo - I need something to punch, damn it, but I have no room for this in my apartment. 

Laser Welder - Coolest. Thing. Ever.