17. Wicked!

I won't pretend I know much about theater or Broadway but I have enjoyed the few things I have gotten to see.
Everyone I know who has seen Wicked has absolutely loved it so. We tried to get tickets last year when we were in NYC but the only tickets available started at over $300 a piece so we decided we would try to see it some other time. When we found out the traveling show was coming to the DPAC we decided to get tickets, as Justin's parents have season tickets to the DPAC we were able to get tickets through them back in December and we have been waiting ever since!
I enjoy going to things I don't know much about, so I was happy to go see Wicked without knowing anything about the story line other than it dealt with how the Wicked Witch became Wicked. I am happy to report that I really enjoyed it. It was great how well everything tied together between this part of the story and the Wizard of Oz, but I won't get into specifics for those who haven't yet seen it but plan on seeing it soon.
This was our 3rd trip to the DPAC and we are looking forward to many more trips as we have gotten season tickets for their upcoming season starting in November!

The DPAC asks that you don't take any pictures in the theater so unfortunately I don't have any pictures of the even to post.

Thanks for reading!

16. Bennett Place

Our bowling wiigue had been talking about visiting the Bennett place for a good while now. Actually, I believe Chris, Justin and I have been talking about going to the Bennett Place since before there was a bowling wiigue. So what is Bennett Place you ask?

Bennett Place is where In April 1865, the two commanders (Confederate Gen. Joseph E. Johnston's headquarters in Greensboro, and Union Gen. William T. Sherman's headquarters in Raleigh) met and signed surrender papers for Southern armies in the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. It was the largest troop surrender of the American Civil War.

This weekend was the 145 year anniversary of the event. Chris found out they were having a reenactment. So, Chris, Scott, Justin and I decided we should go check it out.

There were a good number of a people there, most of just like us checking things out but there was a fair number of people dressed for the event:
The next few pictures I took from Chris:


We got to see part of the reenactment of the agreement:


And finally the Bennett brothers next to the Bennett Place sign:

We had a good time and we are glad we went. It turns out they only have the anniversary events every 5 years! But, the place it self is open most everyday for people who want to go check it out.

Thanks for reading!

15. Day Zero Project

Today I was catching up on blogs and came across Michelle's list blog on 101 things she wants to accomplish in the next 1000 days. I love trying out new things and making lists so I decided to start a list of my own. It was harder to come up with a list of 101 things I want to do than I expected. The site also allows you to make a list of things you would like to get done in the future but not necessarily in the next 1000 days.
I expect that a lot of the new things that I do this year will over lap with things on my list. I plan on blogging about my experiences as I go along.

Thanks for reading!

14. 3D cake!

How to make a 3D vodka bottle cake:

Step 1: make 12 6in cakes, 3 recipes of bailey's butter cream and a batch of rice krispy treats

Step 2: Nail a wooden support to your base

Step 3: Start layering the cakes and add in extra support


Step 4: Add the rice krispy top

Step 5: Ice the whole thing

Step 6: cover in fondant and decorate.

Sounds simple but covering this cake with fondant was much harder than I expected.
I am happy with how the details turned out. This project was a nice learning experience, I did find out that my cakes are too moist to work well for a shaped cake. So, next time, if there is a next time, I will have to find a drier cake to work with so it will keep it's shape better.

13. Bows!!

I had been wanting to come up with something I could make for my good friend Steph who is having a baby girl this summer! Talking to Jill one day I found out she knows how to make little hair bows and bow holders, so I asked her to teach me how to make them!
One of the things I have always wondered about is how they make ribbons curly.
Turns out it's a really easy thing to do. All you have to do is wrap a ribbon around wooden dowels and bake at 250 for 20 minutes. ANY ribbon will work, regular straight ribbon, detailed ribbon, sheer ribbon, I have tried lost of different ribbons, the only thing I haven't tried yet is wired ribbon.
So here is my guide to bow making:
Bake ribbon around wooden dowels. I tape the ends and then just cut them.
After they cool you just pull them off and they keep their shape.
You will need to attach the bows to alligator clips. To cover an alligator clip you will need just under 7 inches of ribbon
You then hot glue the ribbon to the clips
Once your clip is covered you are ready to make your bows for the curly bows I like to use 8 pieces of ribbon (I'll get to regular bows a little later)
You then tie the ribbon together
Attach them to clips with more ribbon and hot glue
And you are done!

For regular bows you will need a little pattern to keep your ribbon from moving. Wrap around the ribbon as many times are you like, I like to wrap it 3 times. You then need a clip to hold it together
Next you will remove the pattern
then tie the ribbon together
You are now ready to attach it to the covered alligator clip with more ribbon and glue gun

And you are done!


For the ribbon holder I went with pink ribbon (about 3 feet) and attached it to a little picture frame. I but the baby's name in the frame as I don't have any good pictures of baby Nicole yet.
Thanks for reading!