A Break for the Holidays!!!

Good Morning All,

I wanted to wish you a very warm and family filled Holiday Season!!!

I'm positive all of you will understand when I say that I will be taking a break from actively posting new content, there are some posts that are scheduled already, until after the beginning of the new year so that I may partake in said Merry Making!!

So with a warm heart I wish you....

(Photo courtesy of: Mud Maven Designs)

and of course a very...

(Photo courtesy of: Country Solider)

May it be peaceful and filled with many grand adventures!!!

Love you all,  Aubrie B. of Waking Up Bagtas

DIY Origami Flower Wreath

About a month ago my lovely mother, Denise Wilcox, introduced me to this super fun paper craft idea that she had read about and bought a book about. 

The book illustrates and gives instructions for the simplest creation, like a flower, all the way up to difficult projects that I will probably never be able to achieve.

But that is beside the point. After showing me the origami flowers she had made we decided to invest in more supplies so that I could embark on creating my own. The following post is my adventure in doing so along with the final product, which is on its way to Salt Lake City to hang in my Grandmother's house.

je te aime Coco Chanel

(Photo courtesy of: Style List)

"Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening." ~~ Coco Chanel

The Adventures of Zigzag & Camille: "The New Kid on the Block"

Ever since their hijinks at Camille's birthday party, the Pooh bear gang have been keeping to themselves in Honey Pot Hollow.

(Collage courtesy of: PicMonkey)

Pork Tenderloin w/ Sauteed Vegetables

Gasp! Dreaded leftovers. As I stand looking as the pan of leftover pork tenderloin resting peacefully in the fridge I realize that I can't feed the husband the same thing from the night before.

Then I noticed the beautiful veggies sitting in the crisper, and just like that this delicious recipe magically appeared.

I Needa some Ikea

I admit, I have never once set foot into an Ikea store. So, why then did I choose this particular store to write about? I'm not sure. 

However, that does not mean I have the inability to pick items that I feel would look together. So, here is what I share with you today...

(Collage courtesy of: thelovelylifeofaubrie @ Polyvore)

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree.... Fake Shines just as Brightly as Real!!!

Real vs. Fake, that is the age old question when it comes to picking which type of Christmas Tree to go with every year.

(Photo courtesy of: Lehigh Valley with Love)

Well, how about a little pro vs con post? At the end you can choose which would work the best for you.

W.U.B features Etsy artist: Lyrical Artworks

Another week and another fantastic Etsy shop find is being delivered to you.... The lucky shop is:

Lyrical Artworks

Michael Kors ~ Daytime & Nightime Looks

I LOVE FASHION!!! But then again, what women in their right mind doesn't. One of my all time favorite Fashion Houses is Michael Kors. 

I think he has impeccable taste and can make any piece of fabric into something magical and beautiful! Not to mention he is a super witty and completely honest judge on the early seasons of Project Runway. 

Today I have created two looks for you, one for Daytime and another for Nighttime. I hope you enjoy!!!

(Collage created by: thelovelylifeofaubrie on Polyvore)

Fresh Mushroom & Sharp Cheddar Turkey Sauce w/ Mini Penne

I absolutely love pasta or anything Italian for that matter. The only thing I love more, my husband of course. 

With that being said pasta sauce is a great way to play around with new flavors. So the following then would be on of my latest creations.

Wingin' It with West Elm

West Elm, West Elm, West Elm.... What are all of the truly nice things that I can say about you?!? Well, let's just say if I huge house and a ton of money you would be the store to supply my decor.

Once again I have to thank my beautiful mother Denise Wilcox for initially introducing me to this store years back. With that being said, let's get a move on it.....

(Collage courtesy of: thelovelylifeofaubrie at Polyvore)

Godzilla, King Kong and Kaiju....Oh My!!!

What is it about giant, fictional beasts that always draws huge crowds to flock to the movie theater in masses? Maybe it is the fact that in some ever so small way they create a reality that would be very exciting.

Or perhaps we just like the thrill of seeing huge lizards and gorillas show their amazing ability at destroying perfectly good cities. 

Whatever your reason may be, I am dedicating this entire post to three of my favorites: Godzilla, King Kong and the Kaiju 
(from Pacific Rim). 

(Photos courtesy of: The Wrap, Wikizilla, and io9)

W.U.B features Etsy artist: The Painted Cottage

This weeks Etsy post is going to be a bit different here at Waking Up Bagtas. I have decided to feature one artist that I found, I love her stuff and thought I would share it with my readers.

Please join me in welcoming: The Painted Cottage

(Photo courtesy of: The Painted Cottage Etsy Shop)

Part 7: "Fashion through the Decades" ~~ 1980's

(Photo courtesy of: Skooldays)

The 1980’s was a crazy decade. For starters, the election of Ronald Regan brought us a new group of voters called “ReganDemocrats”. They voted for Regan and were crucial for actually getting him elected.

Little know fact about our dear President Regan, he was formerly a Hollywood actor. His most notable role was as George Gipp in his 1940 film about the former Notre Dame Football player.

The Adventures of Zigzag and Camille: "Holiday Hoopla"

Seasons Greetings from the Wild Woods. Our friends throughout the woods are delighting in the first snow fall and the preparations for the up coming Christmas Holiday.

(Photo courtesy of: Selva Click Art)

Chunky Chicken & Veggie Soup w/ White Beans

Yay!! It's finally start to "cool off" in the desert. I know, how funny right!!!! Anyway, I LOVE SOUP! Any kind from chicken noodle to Manhattan clam chowder (except split pea, yuck!). 

Using the crock pot to make soup is totally ingenious! One pot for everything, I LOVE IT!!! So here is to the first yummy soup of the season. Cheers!!! 

Bluedazzling Inspirations from Sur La Table

What does the color blue inspire in you? For me, it is wonder, inspiration and creativity......

I guess its a good thing then that I decided to use blue as my inspiration for this weeks home decor post, featuring an adorable store called Sur La Table

(Collage courtesy of: thelovelylifeofaubrie @ Polyvore)

Nanoblocks: The Amazing Future of Building Blocks

(Photo courtesy of: Mom Trends)

I have always been a huge fan of building blocks, especially Lego's. But just recently I have fallen in awe with a new kind of Lego's straight out of Japan called Nanoblocks.

Jaime's DIY Greeting Cards ~~ Part 2

Written by Aubrie B. as told by Jaime B.

As promised, the continuation of the DIY Greeting card post from last week.

This post will continue with steps 7 through 10. At the end, you will have a completely customized greeting card and it will have been totally fun to make. So, let's get started......

Part 6: "Fashion through the Decades" ~~ 1970's

As usual we are going to start this fun fashion post with some super cool facts about the decade before moving to the rad looks.

(Photo courtesy of: Fashion Hunters)

The Adventures of Zigzag and Camille: "Graduation Day"

Today is a very special day in the Enchanted Kingdom and the Wild Woods. It's Graduation Day!!! This is the time of year when all of the up and coming Heir's and Heiress's graduate from Prince and Princess school.

(Photos courtesy of: PixGood and abcTeach)

Rosemary & Pecan Crusted Salmon with Garlic Butter Asparagus

All too often I hear people tell me that they don't like fish or the they like it but they have no idea how to prepare it so therefore they do not eat it. I say hogswallow!!! (thank you Hagrid for that fantastic word) 

I say if you find the right fish then you will find the right recipe to go with it. I mean look on the bright side, its one of the best meats to try new flavors on. Check out the following recipe and you will see just what I mean.

Pier 1 Imports Inspiration

For as long as I can remember my beautiful, wonderful, adorable (yes, I am definitely laying it on thick) mother, Denise Wilcox and I have loved to spend time together walking around window shopping and wandering up and down isles in our favorite stores.

One of those stores just so happens to be Pier 1 Imports. So this whole post is to pay homage to a fantastic store with great ideas....

(Photo courtesy of: thelovelylifeofaubrie at Polyvore)

Nova Scotia: The Curse of Oak Island

Recently I was watching a show on the History Channel and saw a commercial for a show called "The Curse of Oak Island." 

(Photo courtesy of: Wikipedia)

The show follows two brothers, Rick Lagina and Marty Lagina, as they discover the secrets of the Island and try to find the treasure that lies beneath.

Fun Thanksgiving Ideas from Etsy

Gobble, gobble, gobble..... The day for super yummy, tummy stuffing, football watching, nap taking is fast approaching.

So, I am going to take a few moments to share some super fun ways to spruce it up just a bit more with these great ideas from some cool Etsy artists.

(Photo courtesy of: absolootely)

Part 5: "Fashion throught the Decades" ~~ 1960's

Hey folks, we are rolling into the 1960’s so bust out your best Woodstock worthy Flower Powery outfit you can find.

(Photo courtesy of: College Fashion)

But we also saw what President Lyndon B Johnson referred to as “The Great Society”, The assassination of President John F Kennedy, The Vietnam War, and the fight for Civil Rights.

Chili Fries with Shrimp

Cravings, craving, cravings...... What causes them? I don't really know, what I do know, whatever I'm craving needs to get in my belly.....quickly.

Last night I got one of those pesky cravings for chili fries....... as a result, I present the following recipe....

Dining Room with Dishes and Flatware

Last week I brought you a super romantic and peaceful design idea for a master bedroom. 

This week, I feel like moving to the dining room. This post will give you great ideas for everything from the rug on the floor to the Wine Glasses for the after dinner cocktail.

(Collage courtesy of: thelovelylifeofaubrie @ Polyvore)

History of Thanksgiving

In today's world Thanksgiving seems to have lost it's true meaning as to why we celebrate it. I feel that most of use sort of remember that it has something to do with the Pilgrims and the Native Americans, but past that I feel it is completely lost.

So, during this month I decided to take the time to research Thanksgiving and share what I have learned about this fantastic day.

(Photo courtesy of: Pelfusion)

Jaime's DIY Greeting Cards ~~ Part I

Written by Aubrie B. as told by Jaime B.

Greeting cards….. What can be said about them? Hmm, most of the time I think they are a joke and kill way too many trees, that is where my amazing husband Jaime comes in. He has this amazing talent to make personalized cards for people birthdays, holidays or just anytime that would call for a greeting card.

(Photo courtesy of: Game Informer Magazine)

The Violet Vixen ~~ Embrace your Wild Side

Every woman had their wild side, anyone who says they don't, well, is probably in denial and has it pushed deep down somewhere. But, occasionally you will watch something or find something on the Internet that triggers a reaction and out it comes......

Welcome to mine, I was recently introduced to a website called The Violet Vixen by my best friend Gail. This is the collage I created through Polyvore, I hope you enjoy it. 

(Collage from Polyvore: by thelovelylifeofaubrie featuring The Violet Vixen)

The Adventures of Zigzag and Camille: "The Bean Bag Battle"

Up to this point Zigzag and Camille's stories have taken us to all different parts of the Wild Woods. For this story however, we are staying put right here in the Woods. 

(Photo courtesy of: Lol-Rofl)

Chicken & Broccoli Fettuccini Alfredo

I have to say that I have always loved Alfredo sauce. It's rich and creamy and goes blissfully with chicken and pasta. So, I wanted to share with you one of my quick and easy Alfredo recipes that will take anyone to their food induced happy place.

Bedroom Fun from Polyvore

It's common knowledge that a persons bedroom is their sanctuary. I'm no different, I adore my bedroom and the warmth and comfort that one particular room seems to bring me.

So, why not make a sanctuary as peaceful and comfortable as possible. I present to you one of the many ideas for a perfect sanctuary........

 

(Collage provided by: thelovelylifeofaubrie on Polyvore)

Letsy Etsy with Rustic Spoonful and High Desert Rust

Recently, two of my favorite people decided to go into business together and open up not one but two Etsy shops.

Georgia Hendricks and Sharon Glanville are the owners of Rustic Spoonful and High Desert Rust. 

(Photos courtesy of: Georgia Hendricks Facebook & Sharon Glanville Facebook)

Aeropostale Fashion

I have to admit, I have a secret love for the clothes at Aeropostale. I think that are amazing and if I could fit in them I would go broke shopping there.

With that being said I would love to share with my fantastic readers some of the outfits that I would choose if I had the opportunity. First up would be one of my casual "cooler weather" picks........

(Collage from Polyvore by: thelovelylifeofaubrie featuring Aéropostale)

The Feisty Felines

The Purrfect Plateau is a beautiful and serene place to live. It lays smack dab in the middle of the Wild Woods and is home to two purrfectly playful cats, Patches and Lulu.

(Photos courtesy of: Drawing Now & Zazzle)

Patches, your typical Calico house cat, and Lulu, a cheetah, are the best of friends. They love to hunt, pounce, sleep, and go on grand adventures.

Burgers & Fries with a Twist

I absolutely love the Food Network!! Being a foodie I am constantly inspired by the delicious sweet and savory dishes all of the chefs create. A few years back I was watching an episode of Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives Guy Fieri was at a restaurant where they made stuffed burgers. I liked the idea so much that I decided to try it, but added my own twist to it. Here is what I came up with...

Brie burgers with lemon-basil mayo:

Toys R' Us and Christmas ~ Childhood Memories

Woo Hoo, Yippee, Hooray!!! What other super excited fun words can I use to describe how happy I get every year when I hear these 6 little words "Toys R' Us Big Christmas Book"...... I know, I know, your saying "Aubrie, you are 36, why are you thinking about toys?" Simple really, I'm just a big huge kid.

Not to mention that every year for as long as I can remember my brother, Jackson, and I have always spent time together perusing the pages of the Toys R' Us book. It was a fun way for us to make our christmas lists when we were younger and now we just like to giggle about the new toys they have today. 

(Photo courtesy of: Jenn Strathman)

Scrapbooking Memories

Past-times can consist of just about anything a person can imagine. Some people read, others enjoy the outdoors, and some decide to create. Me personally, I tend to be creative!

Part 4: "Fashion through the Decades" ~~ 1950's

( Photo courtesy of: GamesImage)

The post WWII era brought several changes. We saw everything from the creation of suburban homes to the crusade against communism.  The 1950’s is also famous for the gross misuse of the word “boom”, there was the booming economy , the booming suburban housing, and of course the well known “baby-boom”. 

The Pesky Poohbear Gang

Within the Wild Woods lies Honeypot Hollow which is home to a gang of Pooh bears known around the woods for causing mischief. 

The gang consists of four members:
The leader is: Big Pooh bear a.k.a "Big Bear"
his right hand man: Ice Cream Pooh bear a.k.a "Ice-P"
and the other two members are: Corduroy Pooh bear a.k.a. "C-Bear"
and Fuzzy Pooh bear a.k.a "Fuzzy-P".

Cheeseburger Pizza

I was standing around the kitchen the other day looking at the mish mash of stuff I had trying to decide what I should make for din din when low and behold my RAD mother called. Yep, I did indeed use the word rad. Anyway, she gave me an awesome idea for pizza, ta da.......

Book Review ~~ "Killing Ruby Rose" by Jessie Humphries

A while back my awesome little brother, Jackson Wilcox, told the family and I about this book project one of his friends was working on.

It was her first book ever and she asked him to write a song for her first book release. 

The book is called "Killing Ruby Rose" and the Author is Jessie Humphries

(Photo courtesy of: Good Reads)

Making a Destiny "Hunter's Mask"

Written by Aubrie B. as told By Jaime B.;

My husband is a HUGE video game fan. He even belongs to a clan, crazy!!! So, it only fits that he would want to create a Halloween costume based on one of the characters from his current favorite game which is Destiny from Bungie & Activision.

(Photo courtesy of: Dorkly)

Part 3: "Fashion through the Decades" ~~ 1940's

(Photo courtesy of: Parade)

Ah, the 1940’s! With World War II  in full swing, what was fashions biggest influence? Well, one very crazy theory says that is was Adolph Hitler who “dictated” the fashion of the era. I know, absolutely preposterous!

My idea, fashion, especially for women, was styled to better suit the working aspect of life in those days. During the war it was not uncommon to find women serving  in all branches of the military and therefore needing to “design” clothing that matched that lifestyle.

Turkey Chili Cups with Mango Pico de Gallo

Chili is awesome! But what if you could take this delicious hearty meal to the next level with just a few easy steps. Intrigued? Then give the following recipe a try, it's super simple.....

Show Me The Love

This is the list of all of the truly awesome Bloggers who thought my stuff was good enough to feature on their party. I really appreciate them doing this!!!

Classic Movie Love ~~ "Gone with the Wind"

(Photo courtesy of: Paramount)

Classic movies are amazing. From black and white films to the introduction of color film; movies have filled our hearts with hope, love, fear and desire. None however encompasses those feelings as much as Gone with the Wind and 2014 marks the 75^th Anniversary of this wonderful film.

Let's begin with a fun quote from the leading lady herself......

DIY Painting Projects

I love believing that I am a totally creative artful person. But, to the outside world I'm probably not........ that is a big fat BUMMER!!! However, you can not take away my fun that easily.

About a month ago The Hubs and I visited the local Michael's craft store and found that they were having a huge sale on all of their painting canvas and acrylic paints. So, we decided to stock up, throw in some brushes and cute stencils and have a painting party with our bestie Gail. 

Part 2: "Fashion through the Decades" ~~ 1930's

(Photo courtesy of: Glamour Daze)

Let’s begin with some super fun tidbits of the era before jumping head first into the fantastic fashion of the 30’s. In the beginning of the 1930’s we found ourselves with Herbert Hoover as President followed by Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1932. We were introduced to swing dancing and the Great Depression was in its worst years.