My Favorite Holiday Tradition

My favorite Christmas memory growing up was our annual Christmas pinata. Filled with goodies and gifts and goodies it was a great way to tide the kids over until the "big" presents were opened after dinner on Christmas eve. In my family the pinata was made with an entire roll of wrapping paper made into a large bag, filled with presents and attached to a curtain rod.

Gifts typically included socks, calendars, t-shirts, books, gift certificates and other things. Each family member got one of each gift and the gifts inside were individually wrapped and were usually specific for the individual. With the exception of the one year we all ended up in a similar type of athletic sweatshirts - made for a good family photo! Kids and adults alike would take turns taking blindfolded whacks at the pinata until it came crashing down to a chorus of loud cheers and enthusiastic hoorahs!



The majority of the cousins in my family have grown up and the pinata tradition has come to an end but it is a tradition I will greatly miss and hope to begin again when I start my own family some day. My families style of pinata required a large amount of wrapping paper and tape and wasn't very estetically pleasing. So in the interest of design and being eco-friendly below are instructions for a DIY Christmas Pinata couresty of Craftbits.com.

Materials needed are PaperMache, Balloon, Christmas tinsel, decorative bows, and a bag of mixed wrapped sweets. (I figure you could probably use small gifts or trinkets as well for the filling).



1. Start by blowing up your Balloon and tie it off to secure.

2. Now make a paper mache mix. (paper mache mix is White wood glue with small amount of water or flour and water to make a gluing paste)

3. Cut some brown paper or newspaper into strips. Dip it into the glue then place it down onto the balloon. Keep doing this in single layers until the balloon is covered then allow that layer to dry before adding another layer. Keep doing this until it is around 3-4 layers thick.

4. Once it has dried using a large pin push a hole through the paper mache to pop the balloon inside.

5. Use a blade to cut a flap into the bottom of the paper mache pinata. It needs to be big enough to add the sweets. Place your sweets in then sticky tape the whole closed.

6. Tie some string to the top and then coat the whole ball with spray paint and allow to dry before decorating with tinsel and bows.

Viola! You have a Christmas pinata! A tradition I have enjoyed for years and I hope your family enjoys just as much! :)

Dreaming of Disney

I'm dreaming of Disney this Christmas, particularly the awesome Disney Dreams collection by Annie Leibovitz. Featuring a incredible collection of award winning celebrities including Scarlett Johansson, Rachel Weisz, Jessica Biel, Roger Federer, Mikhail Baryshinikov, Tina Fey, Gisele Bundchen, David Beckham, Julie Andrews, Abigail Breslin, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Beyonce, Lyle Lovett, Oliver Platt and Whoopi Goldberg. The stars were photographed recreating epic scenes from Disney Classics like Aladdin, Peter Pan, Pocahontas and Cinderella.

"Where Every Cinderella Story Comes True"
Scarlett Johansson as Cinderella



Annie Leibovitz was able to capture moments and portray the infamous Disney magic in a way that only she could resulting in a truly remarkable and timeless collection of photographs - not to mention a killer advertising campaign for the Disney Parks. I've been dreaming of a Disney vacation since I came home from my last trip about six years ago. Unfortunately due to finances and other limitations a trip is not in my future, so for now I'll just get lost in the magic of the Disney Dreams photographs and hope they hold me over until I can make the journey to "never, neverland." I'm dreaming of Disney this Christmas, how about you?

Below are a couple of my favorite photos from the series courtesy of Miss Geeky's blog - for a complete look and more information on the at photograph series check out the article in USA Today.

"Where Wonderland is Your Destiny"
Beyonce as Alice, Lyle Lovett as the March Hare & Olive Platt as the Mad Hatter

Radio Show Sign-Off

On Saturday night my parents and I snuggled up by the Christmas tree and fire and watched what is sure to become an instant holiday classic - Terminator Salvation. Okay so maybe it won't be on the list with The Holiday, Love Actually and White Christmas in terms of feel good holiday movies but it definitely had character.

So the basic plot line is that John Connor (played by the fabulous Christian Bale) is leading the "Resistance" against SkyNet and the Terminator machines. The "Resistance" is made up of surviving humans all over the globe who will unite together to take down SkyNet. About half way into the movie John Connor conducts a radio broadcast and launches call to arms for "Resistance" fighters across the globe. At the end of the scene John utters a line that has stood out to me since the first time I saw this movie in the theater - "This is John Connor, if your listening to this you are the resistance."



After viewing this again it got me thinking - this totally awesome phrase could be used for a lot of things. "Resistance" could mean/be different things for different people. Whatever your believe in or your fighting for or whatever your passionate about could be your "resistance".

So I started thinking about how I would use it in my life - I thought about using it if I became a radio DJ or TV Show host. Walter Cronkite had "That's the way it is." - Edward R. Murrow used "Good night and good luck" - and Al Roker has definitely coined "That's what's going on around the country, here's what's happening in your neck of the woods." So if I were a newscaster or had my own radio show I think my sign-off would be "This is Jade Sepolen, if your listening to this you are the resistance." I think it could definitely catch on. What phrase would you use to sign-off?

As always, thanks for listening! ;)

Holiday Dresses - PDX Style

Two weekends ago I was in Portland visiting friends and catching the So You Think You Can Dance tour. My short weekend visit was filled with non-profit volunteering and incredible dancing - but my typical Portland trips usually consist of intensive shopping therapy including a trip to Mabel & Zora in Portland's Pearl District.



The fabulous Mabel & Zora features items from fabulous designers like Trina Turk, Ella Moss and Michael Stars and items from local organizations and designers. With items like clothing, accessories, luggage and more they offer a little bit of everything with a range of price tags that match any pocketbook.

In anticipation of the holiday season and the parties and celebrations that go along with it - this weeks post highlight some fabulous options for the season. Whether your celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or New Years you are sure to look fabulous in these Mabel & Zora styles.

LA MADE BELTED WRAP DRESS


MAX AND CLEO LACE BUST 2FER DRESS











ISAAC HERS LINDY DRESS

Timeless Elegance for the Modern Sophisticate

Spotted: an elegant penthouse on the Upper Eastside. The Serena Van Der Woodsen bedroom set from Gossip Girl is our Inspirational Room of the Week. This room inspires my inner Audrey Hepburn with vintage chic and trendy sophistication. Perfect for the “on-the-go” socialite or practical professional this room is a triple threat combining comfort, function and design.

Classic and elegant base colors against stylish patterns and metallic accents make a bold statement without going over the top. Vintage pieces with luxe patterns provide warmth but can be pricey and difficult to find. As an alternative, less expensive furniture can be “antiqued” by applying elegantly patterned wallpaper.





Photos courtesy of Christina Tonkin Interiors - property of Malchus Janocko.

A contrasting retro polka-dot pattern is used in the headboard and wall covering, tying together major elements in the room. Tufted headboards are chic design elements that provide unbeatable comfort. Headboards featuring accent colors and patterns can be easily created using plywood, batting, upholstery foam, fabric and buttons. (See the Kelley Moore D.I.Y. Headboard project for “how-to” and design details)

Artistic pieces like the wooden credenza provide storage and deliver a winning combination of fashion and function. Individualized art pieces and accessories provide a subtle finish. Whether living on the Upper Eastside or Lower Queen Anne, silver and gold materials throughout give the room touches of “bling” fit for any urban socialite!

D.I.Y Tip of the Week: Use trendy prints, bold fabric patterns, and vibrant accent pillows to give your bedroom an updated look while allowing for easy re-covering and adapting as trends change.

Cap & GOWN (Literally)

Just finished a Skype video chat with my dear friend Katarina who is getting her Master's Degree in War Studies at King's College in London (yes I'm bragging a little because I'm SOOO PROUD!!). Anyways, she informed me today that she will be wearing a "designer" gown to graduation in May. And she wasn't kidding! This year the King's College Graduation Gowns will be designed by the English designer Vivienne Westwood. Apparently in 2008 Vivienne designed 20 new gowns and hoods designed to reflect the academic excellence and legacy of the university.


As a student in the School of Social Science & Public Policy Katarina will be sporting a gold hood to graduation in May. Not many of us can say we wore designer to graduation...very exciting! :)

The Noisettes - HOT HOT HOT!

While watching last week's One Tree Hill episode I was exposed to what is sure to be one of my favorite new musical groups -
The Noisettes.



The Noisettes - who released their second album Wild Young Hearts in April - are an "indie rock" band out of London. Recognized by SPIN Magazine as one of The 30 Best Albums of 2009...So Far, this group is sure to be making "noise" in the coming months. Their chart toping single "Don't Upset the Rhythm (Go Baby Go)" - feature on last week's episode of One Tree Hill - is a high energy tune with similarities to Lady GaGa and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

My favorite tune from their sophomore album "Never Forgot You" recreates the rhythms and vocal skills of the Motown and American Bandstand era - effortlessly combing Amy Winehouse and Diana Ross. Although comparisons can be made and there are definitely similarities but what caught my ear was truly the originality of this group - there is nothing else out there like it - and they have AMAZNG fashion to boot. So on this Fall Music Monday DEFINITELY check out the NOISETTES, you'll be very glad you did.