Author Archives: trendymiss

Easy, Affordable DIY Gift Ideas for the Holidays

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The holidays are the most challenging time of the year to save money as the thought of spreading Christmas cheer and showering your loved ones with presents taunts your bank account. This year, save money around the holidays by making easy DIY gifts to give to your friends and loved ones!

 

            One gift idea that will capture their favorite memories is making an Instagram picture canvas. Start by going to your local craft store and buying a plain canvas, any size, and mod podge glue. Next, collect your favorite pictures of you and your friend, parent, or loved one off Instagram and mod podge the pictures onto the canvas. Using pictures you have posted on Instagram gives the photos a better look with the use of filters. Finish your project by writing a personal memo on the back of the canvas, and you are done! This project is not only affordable, but is efficient and meaningful at the same time. What better way to show the people in your life you care about them than collecting some of your favorite memories all onto one canvas. This gift is a great idea if your looking to surprise your parents with something special, “I made two of these canvases for my parents last Christmas. I included pictures from their wedding day, and even from when they were young and just started dating. It’s like their life story put into pictures. They absolutely loved it, and I spent less than $20 making them. It is definitely something they will hold on to forever,” said Laura Remy, 20.

 

            The best part about the holidays is that you can smell them in the air. From peppermint hot cocoa to the cozy smell of a Christmas tree, make a candle inspired by their favorite scent over the holidays. Start by buying a plain vanilla candle and using a hot glue gun, glue peppermint candies all around it. When the candle is burning, the smell of peppermint will be in the air!  What is great about this gift idea is that you can glue practically anything on to the sides of a candle and instantly make it festive and unique! Another option is to buy an apple-scented candle and glue cinnamon sticks to the sides, and finish it off by wrapping a nice bow around it! Dress up any candle this holiday season with their favorite scent.

 

            If candles are not their favorite, make them a handcrafted holiday mug. Buy a plain white mug and place stickers with their initials on the mug. Then, using a red sharpie draw dots around the stickers into any shape you prefer, whether it be a heart, a Christmas tree, a snowman, or even a candy cane. Remove the stickers to see your finished product. Include their favorite coffee or cocoa mix, wrap it with a bow, and they are ready to sip cocoa out of their own personalized holiday cup! “Everyone could use their own mug around the holidays, I made one specifically for all four of my sisters last year and they loved it! It was great that I didn’t have to spend a lot of money on it as well, as having four sisters can really put a damper on my wallet,” said Sam Depew, 20. This gift is fun, easy, and affordable.

 

            Instead of stressing about where to find the best holiday deals, get creative this year and make any ordinary object into something unique and special catered specifically to the person you have in mind. Don’t be afraid to test your crafting skills this holiday season! All of these gift ideas are cheaper than buying gifts from the store, and are also gifts they will hold on to forever! This year you can give everybody a gift without draining your bank account, and have fun doing it at the same time. 

By Jessica Monteggia

White elephant gift exchange

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Who does not like a holiday party around Christmas time? Christmas parties are one of the best things about the holiday seasons. There are delicious treats and drinks, the house is decorated in elaborate Christmas decorations, people are spreading Christmas cheer, and who can forget about fun Christmas games? One of the most popular games around the holiday season is a white elephant gift exchange.

A white elephant gift exchange is a lighthearted holiday party game where everyone supplies one wrapped gift. White elephant gifts are usually funny and inexpensive. Make sure the rules are clear to everyone about the funny, inexpensive gifts so everything is fair. Everyone places his or her gifts in a centralized location in order for everyone to get a good look at the size and determine which one they want. An easy and fair way to choose the order of the picking is having participants pull a number out of a hat. The participant who chooses number one will go first and gets to choose any gift from the pile and open it for everyone to see. The next person will choose whether they want to steal the previously opened gift or choose an unopened gift from the gift box.  A person who has his or her gift stolen gets to either steal a gift from someone else or choose a replacement gift from the gift box. You cannot immediately steal back the gift that was stolen from you and you must wait at least one round before stealing back a gift that was once in your possession. Also, a gift can only be stolen once. Repeat these steps in order of number. The person with the next-highest number chooses a gift from the gift box or steals a gift from someone else. People who have gifts stolen can choose a gift out of the gift box or steal items that have not yet been stolen that round.

There are a lot of variations to the white elephant gift exchange and if you’re the one throwing the party, make up your own rules to make sure the process runs smoothly! For example, the game could go on for hours if everyone keeps stealing gifts. Make it a rule that an item that is stolen becomes frozen after it has been exchanged three times. You can experiment with different rules and change it to your liking.

A white elephant gift exchange is a great way to keep everyone entertained and keep the party alive! “I love going to holiday parties with a white elephant gift exchange. After awhile, holiday parties tend to die down but a white elephant exchange is a great way to liven up the party. Also, who doesn’t love gifts?!” said, Morgan Alfrejd, 21. No one likes a party where you’re looking at your phone every two minutes to see if it is finally an appropriate time to leave.  A white elephant gift exchange is also a great way for everyone to blow off steam and have a good laugh. “Nothing is worse than an awkward, boring Christmas party where everyone is standing around making small talk just to stay some-what entertained,” said Peyton Halstead, 20.

A white elephant gift exchange is not meant to be stressful or overwhelming. Have fun while coming up with your gift ideas and add any rules you may like to make it more fun. Also, if you’re hosting a party with all your close friends, tell them to bring gifts they think the majority of the group will like.

I know, some of you are thinking, “what do I buy for my gift?” Here are some great ideas for white elephant gifts that every girl could use!  Candles, wine glasses, gift cards, lotion, bubble bath kit, picture frames, nail polish,  the list goes on and on! Also, Pinterest is a great place to look for ideas. They have so many creative ideas that you can buy or make yourself if you’re feeling up for it!

If you’re looking for an inexpensive, stress free and entertaining holiday party game, a white elephant gift exchange is perfect. After you have been slaving around the house for hours making it look perfect for you guests, the gift exchange will be a perfect addition to your party! Hope you have a wonderful holiday season.

By Sarah Quigley

New Releases of 2013

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https://soundcloud.com/haleyykennedyy/final-project-new-releases-of

By: Rachel Escalle

For the final project, I chose audio becuase I felt that was my strongest platform. I decided to use 3 sources and make it over 3 minutes (3:45) in order to make the project a little harder to edit and stronger for the final. I also editted out sound bits I thought were unnecessary and any “um”s or “like”s that muddled up the audio.

Sources: Michelle Collison, Natalie Evangelisti, Anna Tremblay

Music: Epic Cinematic Movie Intro Trailer Music – Royalty Free Orchestral Music

Rock Star Spa Bar

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Sarah Quigley and Jessica Monteggia interviewed employees and customers of the recently opened Rock Star Spa Bar here in Pullman. Check it out to see what services the spa has to offer!

10 girls and 10 Favorite Books of the Summer

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     As young women, we are always looking for new ways to entertain and enhance our minds. Fairy tales always have a purpose, teaching the young about right and wrong and what to expect of the world. Today, books can do the same thing. Books can take you to other worlds, where you can experience and learn lessons you would never get otherwise. Here are ten favorite books, from ten women that can take you to another world and give you something new in each and every one of them.

     Our first favorite is something you would classically see on a list like this. The hit book Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James has flown through the hands of young women across the nation. Briana Klein, 21, does not usually take time to sit and read, but was caught up in the excitement and decided to give it a try. She said it was so different from everything else she had ever read that the book immediately caught her attention and gave her a view into a life that she wouldn’t otherwise hear about.

     Megan Gambill, 20, said her favorite book is Outliers; The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell. The book is about Canadian hockey. This book may seem like an unconventional favorite for a 20-year-old girl. However, Gambill said that it is not so much about the writing itself, but what the book really looked at and what it taught her. “It changed my view on success,” said Gambill. The book was also fascinating for Gambill, it looked at different coincidences and interesting facts about the industry, for example, most elite players were born in January, February, or March.

     On the other end, The Katie Weldon series by Robin Jones Gunn is exactly what you would expect to be on this list. Krystal Voshell, 20, says that Katie, the main character of the series, has become her favorite character out of all the books Gunn has written because she has inspired Voshell so much. Katie sticks to what she believes in and always remembers what’s important to her.

     Carrin Wagoner, 20, said her favorite book is Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell.  Wagoner was similar to Voshell in her reasons why she picked this book as her favorite- the main character. Wagoner said that she really related with the main character, Scarlett O’Hara. Wagoner described O’Hara as an it, but also as beautiful, smart, and way ahead of her time. In the end, she  just wants to find love. She does everything to find it, but everything to ruin it at the same time. Wagoner could relate to this.

     Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare is the fairy tale that every girl wants to hear, with a little twist. Allyson Smith, 21, said the final book was her favorite of a fantastic series. She said she fell in love with the characters, the author wrote their emotions so strong she could feel them as if they were her own. Cricton said, “this book made me cry, laugh and fall in love. All within 400 pages.”

     Taylor Baggerly, 20, said her favorite book was The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. She defended this by saying simply that it was amazing. This historical fiction piece was both somber and humorous. Serious enough that you understood the time period and location of the book. However, there was also enough humor that it gave the reader enough reprieve to really get into and enjoy the experience.

     Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis is the favorite of Olivia Besel, 20. This book takes the point of view of two demons and how they are affecting the life of one man. Besel enjoyed the insight this gave her into her own life. Besel said the book, “calls out pitfalls in lives that makes the reader give credit to more than humans”. However, it also makes the reader “take credit for how human we are.”

     Along similar lines, however lighter in subject, was The Art of Happiness by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Dr. Howard Cutler is the enlightening favorite of Brittany Kurtz, 19. Kurtz started out her description of this book simply as “insightful.” The subjects covered ranged greatly, but all related back to life- subjects like love, eternal happiness, and how to solve conflict with one’s self and others. Kurtz said this gave her a better understanding of how to handle different situations she will encounter in life and how to turn almost any moment into positive experiences.

     My own favorite always changes, I love the way that I can be moved from place to place. Currently, my own favorite is Graceling by Kristin Cashore. The book has everything I need in a good story, imagination, action, and romance. All of these are in full throttle in this book. However, many books have these elements. What really seals in this decision, is the main character. She is not what is classically portrayed for leading female characters. She is strong and stubborn and finds her freedom in this story. Her freedom to rely on people, her freedom from what everyone thought her to be, her freedom to control her own future.

Rachel Escalle

What’s Hot in Television–A Show for Every Occasion

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             Transitioning back into gear now that the school year has begun again calls for a way to unwind after a long day. What better way to do so than to get hooked on this year’s most popular television shows? Whether it is in between classes or a relief from homework, TV shows are perfect for a short break.

            One of the hottest shows since it first aired on ABC Family in 2010 has young women everywhere wanting more. “Pretty Little Liars” follows the lives of four young women who are thrown into what is called the “A game” after the passing of their devious friend and leader, Alison.  “Even though I’m not a fan of scary shows and can barely watch it by myself, it’s hard to watch just one episode.  The suspense keeps you wanting more,” says Keysa Anderson, 20, a college student. Young women everywhere are raving about the mysterious “A” that is taunting Aria, Hanna, Emily, and Spencer, the show’s four main characters. A is constantly threatening to expose their darkest secrets. Now that the show has just ended its fourth season, there have been many revelations as to who A could be, some that will come as the biggest shock yet. “The show is full of surprises. Just when you think you know who A is, they twist it and make it someone you would never have expected,” says Samantha Salmon, 19.  Between the lies, the romance, and the shocking twists, “Pretty Little Liars” will constantly leave you guessing. Catch up by watching the first three seasons on Netflix, and tune in to “Pretty Little Liars” when it premieres for it’s fifth season in June of 2014.

            If you are not into suspenseful shows, another one at the top of the list is “Hart of Dixie.” Many young women have never heard of it, but for those who have seen it, it is a must-watch. It is a light-hearted, romantic-comedy series that follows the life of Zoe Hart (Rachel Bilson), as she transitions from her high-end New York City lifestyle to the Southern small town ways of Bluebell, Alabama. Zoe is a doctor who accepts a job from a stranger, Dr. Harley Wilkes, in Alabama. When she arrives, she comes to find that Harley has passed away and left his entire practice to her in his will. Now Zoe must find a way to win over the hearts of the residents in Bluebell so they trust her to be their doctor. With many obstacles along the way, Zoe is in for a rough ride. “I think girls would love it because it is about a young woman and her experiences trying to fit in and falling for a guy she can’t have. It embodies typical things that most girls our age go through in a light-hearted, funny way,” says Samantha Depew, 20. The full first season is available on Netflix, and the other two seasons are available on Hulu.

            A show that has been on the top of everybody’s list since 2005 is ABC’s hit medical drama, “Grey’s Anatomy.” The show, now awaiting its 10th season premiere coming this September, follows the lives of surgical interns working to become skilled doctors while also maintaining their personal lives. The drama and romance between the characters and the tragic events they must face is what keeps the viewers going. If you can follow the drama and handle a little (actually a lot) of blood, “Grey’s Anatomy” is the show for you. Tune into seasons one through nine, available on Netflix.

            Another show that will always remain a classic from the 90’s is the hit sitcom, “Friends.” Many young women love this comedy that follows the lives of six friends living in New York City. With each of the six characters balancing each other out with a variety of personalities, the group always finds themselves in predicaments and obstacles that will keep you laughing. Not only this, but you don’t have to start from the beginning to watch it. Any episode you turn on will be sure to keep you entertained and wanting more. If you’re ever in a bad mood, “Friends” is the show that will cheer you up.

            Another hit drama among young women is NBC’s “Friday Night Lights.” It is a show that follows the lives of Coach Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler) and his wife Tami Taylor (Connie Briton) in Dillon, Texas. Dillon is a small town that thrives off of high school football. The pressure is on Coach Taylor to lead the Dillon Panthers to victory, with many challenges along the way. Not only does Coach Taylor experience hardships, but the show also focuses on the drama and relationships among the high school students. “I think girls our age can really relate to this show in the sense that we are just out of high school. It’s almost like a flash back and that is why I love it so much,” says Laura Remy, 20. Tune in to the first five seasons of “Friday Night Lights” on Netflix.

            Whether you are looking for a show that is a comedy, drama, romance, or is suspenseful, any of these five shows will keep you satisfied. With most options easily available on Netflix or Hulu, it is not too late to catch up!