Colleen Houck

“I took hold of that scourge -filled ship and crushed it between my limbs, hurtling it into the second sun, the red one that gave me strength. But I was too late." Terraformer

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Glamming up for the Steampunk Party at the Romantic Times Convention 2015

May 23, 2015

Another awesome convention has come to an end, and I’m already suffering from sister withdrawls. This year all three sisters came to celebrate Colleen’s overwhelming success and we even lassoed a few extra family members and friends into our corral in Dallas, Texas.

We started to plan for this party last year as we shopped for corsets, torture devises that can really boost or destroy your self esteem with just a few painful tugs, homemade aged metallic jewelry, boots that make you cheer with appreciation for what they can do for your squat height, and bustles that somehow make you feel thinner since your derrière is covered in yards of copious fabric. We just added some last minute goggles, hats, and faux leather leggings.

My mom loves dressing up in costumes and we wanted to make her proud. So we put on our false eyelashes, metallic eye shadows, and curled our hair. If you don’t know exactly what goes into a Steampunk costume just mix add a mix of a pirate, Mary Poppins, and a dirigible captain.

For my hair we tried to copy a pretty braided headband style we found online. We had some pre-braided hair extensions and we just clipped them in and wound them into little buns nestled tightly next to one another. To finish off the look we used our last braid to weave in-between each bun to fill in the blank spaces. The rest of the hair hung loose with thick curls. We added some extra jewelry pieces to finish off the look.

Click and watch this fun Steampunk make up tutorial.

As you can see Colleen had the complete costume including her miniature hat with feathers. She looked so pretty! The apples(s) didn’t fall far from the tree since we all love dressing up. At the party they had some dancing and the green screen photo op with all of us.

If you want to read a Steampunk novel check these out.

Shara Lane

This entry was posted in Beauty, Conferences.
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Author Bio

Shara Lane

I'm Shara, a wife, mother, bargain shopper, and I love to critique everything from food to mascara. I'm a sister of Colleen who lives in the desert of Arizona. My favorite time of day is when I pretend my kids are asleep upstairs, and I can catch up on my favorite shows with my handsome husband. Once Upon a Time, Dr. Who, Mythbusters (husband's choice), Big Bang Theory, Sherlock, and Castle. I turned 40 but feel around 30ish, and wonder where the time has gone. I love new clothes, new make-up, new food, and anything new to try out and critique. It's not mean, I promise, I just really like to figure out how to make things better :-)
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The BEST desserts are made with butter and love!-Throw Back Thursday

May 21, 2015

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls, therapy for a bad day, for a good day, for any day!

Did you know that STRESSED spelled backwards is DESSERTS? Coincidence? I think not! Do you ever have a bad day where things just get worser and worser and you want to crawl under your covers and hide or even run away to escape it all? I know I have. It’s hard to scrape your wounded soul from the depths of despair sometimes but if any of you have a mother like mine, sometimes that gentle nudge to get up and carry on comes in the form of sweet baked treats fresh from mama’s kitchen. That sweet spice that fills the air somehow dulls the pains and lifts you off your tear stained pillow. When mom opens your door and invites you to share a warm, sweet dessert in the kitchen, you can’t help but feel a little better. When you are served that glass of ice cold milk and a plate of tasty goodness, the tears stop and you can almost find your voice again. Next you share a few moments in silence while you fill your mouth with warm heaven and your mother pats your back gently and you’re finally able to talk about your troubles. That is the moment you know that somehow you’ll get through the bad day.

You may have heard the quote, “I’ve never met a problem a proper dessert couldn’t fix”, and I believe there is a lot of truth to that. Nothing feels better than when you are welcomed home by a deliciously cooked meal or the smell of cookies or bread baking in the oven. While the smells intoxicate your taste buds and you can’t wait to bite into whatever’s cooking, it’s more about the hands that have prepared the food. Whether it’s your mother, father, spouse, or friend that cooked it, the food was prepared from the heart with kindness and love. There’s also the times when we fall and scrape our knee or come home crying because someone was mean to us at school, or when we try our best at something, that we are sometimes treated with a hug or a smile and a special outing for an ice cream cone, a lollipop, or a cookie. That, my friends, is why a dessert can be so therapeutic.

My mother is not the greatest cook in the world, but there are a few things she makes REALLY well and her cinnamon rolls is one of them. Here’s a recipe that is very similar to hers but has been improved upon slightly by myself via trial and error.
Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls

ok, ok, I know there are raisins in this but I have to be honest, I love my cinnamon rolls with raisins. But, don’t worry, that is optional!

Dough
- 1 Cup warm milk
- 2 eggs, room temp.
- 1/3 Cup butter, melted
- 4 ½ Cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tsp. salt
- 1 package yeast (2 ¼ Tsp.)
Filling
- 1 Cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 ½ Tbs. ground cinnamon
- ¼ Cup butter, softened
- Raisins (as much or as little as you want, optional)
Spread for Dough
- 1/3 Cup butter, softened
Icing
- 3 Ounces cream cheese
- ¼ Cup butter
- 1 ½ – 2 Cups confectioner’s sugar
- 1 Tsp. pure vanilla extract
1^st Set of Steps for Dough

Dissolve yeast in small bowl with milk. Let proof.

In large bowl combine sugar, butter, salt, eggs, and yeast

mixture. Mix well. Add in flour and knead dough for 5

minutes until dough is soft and form in ball shape.

Place dough in greased bowl and let rise in warm area

covered with towel until doubled in size (about 1 hr.).

2^nd Set of Steps for Filling

Combine sugar, cinnamon and butter in small bowl

and set aside.

3^rd Set of Steps for Rolling Dough and Baking

When dough has risen, roll out on floured surface in

rectangle shape and about 1/4 inch thick. Spread butter

on dough, then sprinkle with filling mixture. Roll into

log shape. Cut into equal portions (I use dental floss,

it works great!). Place on lightly greased pan, cover with

towel and let rise for 30 minutes. For bigger rolls, this

recipe makes about 12 on a 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees F.

for 18-20 minutes.

4^th Set of Steps for Icing

Combine cream cheese, butter, powder sugar and vanilla in

tall mixing bowl. Mix on high until smooth and creamy in

texture. *You may add a few teaspoons of milk or water if

too thick. Once rolls have cooled slightly, spread icing

over rolls and enjoy!! Best if served warm!

My little angels thoroughly enjoying the cinnamon rolls fresh out of the oven. They had so much fun helping me make these! If the idea of eating hot cinnamon rolls sounds just perfect, try your hand at making these in your own kitchen. Leave a comment or send me a pic and I’ll add it to this blog. Happy eating!

Till next time

~ Linda Louise

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Author Bio

Linda

I’m Linda Louise, one of the bloggers on this website and Colleen’s little sister. I’m just a girl in her mid-thirties who feels thirteen when I play outside with my boys, fifteen when I sing my heart out listening to tunes while driving by myself, and sixty five when I go out past ten at night. I have a thing for junior mints, Mt. Dew, shrimp and kale (though not all at once) and I have a crush on Superman. I still get girlish butterflies when I read Twilight, cry when I read These is My Words, and smile from ear to ear when I read Anne of Green Gables. I have nightmares about aliens on a regular basis and I have a bad habit of midnight snacking. I love everything sports, except golf (although can that honestly be considered a sport??), and I hate anything that slithers, hisses, or stings. I have a problem with giggling at inappropriate moments and I sometimes wish life was a musical. I love science, hate math, love Dr. Seuss, and hate olives. My family is my world and my joys come from their happiness. I’ve learned I don’t know much about anything and I live for a good adventure, naps, cuddles, stories, exceptional food and The Shire.
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My Top Ten 80’s Video Picks

May 20, 2015

I was getting my hair done by my hair stylist, Jessica, the other day and we got to talking about perms and how she would never let me have one. I did have perms pretty much all through high school as that was the way to get big hair. Even now, I look at my hair sometimes and think if I add just little more hairspray I can once again achieve the proper height. My hair hasn’t been the proper height since 1991 in my opinion.

Anyway we were having a good time talking about the 80’s and I thought I might do a top ten list and share with you my favorite 80’s videos. I was part of the MTV generation back when MTV was still showing videos and that’s where we learned everything about what was in and popular. So here are my picks.

Honorable Mentions

Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Want To Have Fun

The reason I love this one so much is that this song just makes me happy. Cindy Lauper is weird, yet entertaining. Every time I hear this song, I think about my sisters and how much fun we have together on our girl vacations.

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts –

I Love Rock N’ Roll

This song has inspired my tough girl side over the years. When I hear it, I just want to bang my head (can’t think of the right word but I mean nod your head in a jerking motion flipping your hair back and forth-you know what I mean), buy motorcycle boots, cake on the eye makeup, and rock out.

Bobby Brown – Every Little Step

So my sister, Linda, reminded me about this one and this was one of our favorites just because it makes you want to get up and dance. Also there are sparkle bustiers (there’s no way I could’ve rocked one of those even if my dad wouldn’t have killed me) and fly dance moves.

Paula Abdul – Rush, Rush

Now the reason I chose Rush, Rush over some of Paula’s more successful songs such as, Cold Hearted Snake or Straight Up is because this one spoke to me. Not only does it have a handsome, and, at that time, pretty unknown Keanu Reeves as the love interest but it weaves a romantic story. And I’m all about the romance in case you haven’t noticed.

# 10

Madonna – Holiday

I was actually thinking this song went with the video of Lucky Star. I remember watching the Lucky Star video a lot, however, this is the song that’s important to me. When I was a pretty much friendless junior in high school, I found out I was rather good at sign language. As a result, everyone wanted me in their group since we signed to music for our midterms, etc. At the end of the school year we did a sign language performance and I did this song with a group of girls and we copied Madonna’s dance moves and everything. This was really the first time I ever enjoyed school on a social level.

https://youtu.be/lpBTNxhKln4

# 9

Kenny Loggins – Footloose

I saw the remake of Footloose and I have to say it pretty much stunk. The story was similar but the 80’s feel was gone and this movie only fits in the 80’s when teens were rocking out to portable cassette players. When they were making the remake, I heard somewhere that they were recruiting Zac Efron to play Kevin Bacon’s part (his character was named Ren, an excellent choice). If Zac had actually been cast, I probably would have liked it so much more. I remember going to a slumber party and we spent hours on the home phone calling a local radio station to request this song, each one of us taking a turn to call in. I think we got it to number 2 that night.

# 8

Janet Jackson – Rhythm Nation

So back in the day, Janet Jackson was it for me. I wanted to be exactly like her. She was a chubby girl who wasn’t going to take any crap from anyone. She was my idol. But then she went and lost all her weight and changed from her tough girl persona to the kind of girl I couldn’t abide, but before that, I made myself a key earring and even created a video of me and my sisters dancing to her music, copying all her moves. Someday I might show you this video.

#7

INXS – Need You Tonight

So Michael Hutchence, the lead singer of INXS was all bare chested with long hair and a killer smile and I fell for him pretty hard. That’s all. Really nothing else. I just liked looking at him.

#6

Whitney Houston – How Will I Know

Whitney Houston was the queen of all things poised, fun, and lovely. With an unforgettable voice, a fantastic smile, and a video full of color and movement, this was, by far, one of my favorites. And I did want to dance with somebody, somebody who loved me. Sadly, no such boy was around at that time in my life. But I liked thinking about the possibility.

#5

Wham! – Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go

My love for George Michael in the 80’s is something that cannot be fully described. I had a giant poster of him on my wall that I stared at for hours on end. I think I even talked to it while imagining that my future husband would be just as good-looking or, at least, have his hair. Sadly, my husband’s hair only lasted into his 30’s. In high school home ec class I sewed a white sweatshirt and had CHOOSE LIFE ironed onto it. To this day I don’t know what that was supposed to mean.

I loved George from the top of his Aqua Net hair-sprayed gorgeous blond locks to the tiny silver hoops in his ears to the neon fingerless gloves. Then there was the Richard Simmons short shorts which nobody has ever been, nor will ever be, able to rock like George Michael. I remember in high school some of the kids were saying they thought he was gay, a thing that I vehemently denied was even possible since I had great Faith that when he sang, I’m Your Man, he was singing to me personally.

#4

New Kids On The Block –

You Got It (The Right Stuff)

There is no other singing group that is quite as important to me and my sisters as The New Kids On The Block. They were the boy band of our generation and there was one for each of us! At one point in my life I owned all the dolls, jewelry, games, trading cards, lunch boxes, calendars, buttons, posters, license plates, cassette tapes, videotapes, t-shirts, pillowcases, throw blankets…you get the idea. If they branded it, we owned it.

Once there was a contest where you went to a certain grocery store, found the Coke display, and filled out an entry to win a cruise with them. We drove to every grocery store within the city limits and stole all the entry forms then spent hours filling them all out by hand and turning them in.

Sadly, we didn’t win. We did, however, win tickets and backstage passes to see them in concert in Phoenix during a canned food drive contest. Unfortunately, our dad wouldn’t let us go to Phoenix (a two hour trip) by ourselves and he made us give the tickets and passes away to charity. That was the hardest phone call I ever had to make.

Our dreams went unrealized until a couple years ago, I noticed they were touring with the Backstreet Boys in Phoenix. I bought tickets and took my sisters and we had the time of our lives. We were in the second row and Joey totally smiled and waved at me.

# 3

A-Ha – Take On Me

This is really a triple threat video to me. You have a hunky guy, a great romantic story, and a dance-able, fun song to go with it. It just doesn’t get any better than this. The story telling in this video is amazing!

#2

Bon Jovi – Livin’ On A Prayer

I have never, ever been to a Bon Jovi concert. This is wrong and I will do something about this travesty someday. I have loved this group since its inception and Jon Bon Jovi is still a hottie even at my age which I’m totally not telling you though you could probably Google it and find out. He writes his own music, isn’t afraid to write romantic lyrics, sings beautifully, and he’s gorgeous. Also he’s been married to his high school sweetheart during his entire career. What’s not to like ladies? This is my favorite of his songs. It tells a great story and it’s so fun!

#1

Michael Jackson – Thriller

Who didn’t love Michael Jackson in the 80’s? It’s akin to dissing Star Wars, Pac-Man, Dollar Movies, Pop Rocks, and Sunglasses that you wear at Night…like totally. Did you catch that last music reference? If you’re an 80’s kid you did. There’s just no topping this video like…ever. I make my nieces and nephews watch it every Halloween. During my high school aerobics class which I loved, we learned the entire Thriller zombie dance and pranced through the halls of my school showing off our moves. Is it any wonder I wasn’t running with the popular crowd?

So there you have it. My Top Ten videos from the 80’s plus a few extra thrown in just for kicks. Did I miss any of your favorites? What were your top songs from that decade?

Colleen

This entry was posted in Top Ten Lists, Video.

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Colleen Houck

New York Times Bestselling author Colleen Houck is a lifelong reader whose literary interests include action, adventure, paranormal, science fiction, and romance. When she's not busy writing, she likes to spend time chatting on the phone with one of her six siblings, watching plays, and shopping online. Colleen has lived in Arizona, Idaho, Utah, California, and North Carolina and is now permanently settled in Salem, Oregon with her husband and a huge assortment of plush tigers.
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